Dolphin Rider Koishi
by Roukanken
Summary: After her sister vanished, Koishi Komeiji's life fell apart. Now, as she's dragged into a war hidden from the general public, can she save herself as well as the world?  Modern Day AU, OC, Magical Girl
1. Awakening

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**

_Stop that._

There were mornings when she wished that she could just will the alarm clock to turn off and bury her head in the pillow. She tried it out of desperation, sending a psychic message through the air towards the machine. 'Turn off. Turn off. Turn off.'

It didn't work.

"Come _on_..."

It was too late now - Koishi was awake, whether she liked it or not. She stayed in bed for a few minutes out of spite, but eventually she rose up in response to the cacophony of the alarm clock. She'd slept badly, of course - the same dreams as always were haunting her, pulling her back into the world of the waking with a desperate scream and a face soaked with sweat.

She went through her daily motions with as much - or little - enthusiasm as usual. Leaving her pyjamas in the heaping pile of dirty washing she left beside her bed, to be washed at the end of the week. Lazily putting on one of her identikit yellow shirts, and picking out a green skirt to match. She hadn't cared about the school uniform for...how long had it been now? She didn't want to think about it.

"Nyaa..."

A cat made its way around Koishi's obstacle course of dropped books and discarded food wrappers. It rubbed up next to her leg, purring with something resembling a whine. Koishi sighed as it looked up at her with a concerned stare, its tail wagging absent-mindedly behind it.

"Rin, I'm sorry. I don't have time for this right now. I'm late enough as it is..."

Koishi disregarded her pet's concern as she quickly set out a bowl of food for her. Above her head, a cage had been carefully hung, and its feathered resident was just as concerned as Rin was. Unlike Rin, though, the raven had learned that these metal bars would stop her from making contact, so she just didn't try any more.

"Utsuho, don't do anything crazy while I'm gone, 'kay?"

Koishi did her best to sound enthusiastic as she gave her bird a bowl of seed to feed on, but she couldn't stop her words sounding horribly forced. Enthusiasm was an alien substance to her now, something that just didn't belong.

It was hard to think this place had been in order once. Every room was filled with various fallen tidbits that Koishi just hadn't cared about enough to put back into place. It required some serious dexterity on her part just to make it to the front door with her bag and shoes.

"Ah, there's the-"

Reaching for her keys on the ground, Koishi froze in place for a moment. Something was looking back at her, something that shouldn't have been there. It seemed harmless enough - it was nothing more than a picture frame, a photo that had been taken years ago when Koishi was still a kid.

Yet she despised it.

"...Rin, I told you to leave that thing alone. Do I need to make you skip dinner again?"

A mumbled 'nyaa' sound made its way out of Koishi's room. It was strange - some days she almost felt like she could understand them, like they were speaking her own language. Maybe she just needed to get out more if she was forming that sort of relationship with animals.

She placed a hand on the picture frame, and silently turned it face down. She hadn't had the nerve to throw it away yet. Maybe she never would. It was all she had left now, wasn't it?

"...Well, that's me out. See you guys when I get back from school."

She waved goodbye to her pets as she closed the front door behind her with a dramatic thump. Took too long to close it quietly, she figured, as she left the almost uninhabitable abode behind. She would grab something quick on the way to school, something cheap and just about edible. It would keep her conscious, and that was all that mattered.

Dammit. Rin had done it again. Every time it felt like she was finally forgetting about it, she'd see that picture and everything would come flooding back to her. That picture of herself, smiling with a bright and innocent grin, while over her shoulder another girl looked on proudly. The memories of how things had been a few months ago, back when there had been two girls in that household. She hung her head down as she slowly trudged to school so no-one could see the tears starting to form in her eyes.

_Why? Why can't I just act like I never had a sister...?_

The worst part was not knowing what had happened to her. She had simply stayed late at school one night, and apparently disappeared. No traces of her could be found, no witnesses came forward, and none of the teachers were charged. It was almost as if she had simply never happened to begin with.

So why couldn't she make herself believe that? Why did her heart keep trying to tell her that Satori Komeiji had really existed? Why did she keep forcing herself to remember something so painful?

_Onee-chan...either get out of my head, or come back to me. Don't leave me like this..._

Her eyes never looked up as she made her slow, deliberate walk towards the school grounds. Gensouto was a large city with only one high school, and it was on the other side of the city from Koishi. She'd move closer, but the inheritance from her parents was barely enough to cover the rent as it was. And she couldn't touch Satori's portion either, because until she was found one way or the other she would simply be classed as 'missing' rather than...the other classification. She refused to even think that word in terms of Satori.

The path took her past a simple confectionery store called the Scarlet Bakery. She walked in, bought herself a sandwich to keep her essential functions going, and walked out all without looking the attendant in the eye. She heard murmurs of concern from the other side of the counter, but that was nothing new. They would always mutter worries, but they would never actually care enough to ask her if there was anything wrong.

People like that were useless. She couldn't depend on them for anything. They wouldn't look after her like Satori did.

Koishi munched absent-mindedly at her sandwich as she continued to trudge along to the schoolyard. She walked past the coast now, around the city's beach - technically there was a shorter path, but it wasn't like punctuality mattered to her anymore. She let her shoes leave careful, precise imprints in the sand beneath her, making a mark on the world around her as if to prove she still existed. There was a pier here, though it was never used anymore - boats always stopped at the larger docks, so in their absence someone had come up with the idea of building a shrine on it. It was a ridiculous idea, and as a result it failed miserably, so all that remained was a rickety-looking donation box and a few mossed-over statues.

Her head finally pulled itself upward when she suddenly heard a clicking sound coming from nearby.

"Huh?"

It didn't sound artificial, and the clicks were soon followed by whines and whistles. They were coming from further down the beach, and Koishi decided to approach it and find out what was making the sound. It was curiosity, she told herself, nothing more and nothing less.

"Hey, is that a...?"

Something grey was lying in a distant corner of the beach, just off the shore. As it came into view, Koishi looked down on the fluid and graceful form of a dolphin, trapped in an environment where it was anything but. It flapped its back fin around uselessly in an attempt to push itself back into the water, but all it managed to do was send itself further into shore. Its clicks and whistles grew more desperate, more strained.

"Oh, that poor thing..."

Koishi didn't realise how quickly she was moving until she had arrived in front of the dolphin, seeing it look up at her with friendly black eyes. Her arms reached down and wrapped themselves around it, before she heaved and lifted the creature in one motion.

"Gah...! Y-You're heavy..."

The dolphin gave off an angry sounding click at that one. Koishi's eyes widened slightly - did it...understand what she was saying?

"Nah, what am I thinking? It's a dolphin, of course it's got no idea what I'm talking about. It's like saying that Rin and Utsuho know what I'm saying to them back home."

It took a lot of heavy lifting, and a lot of wet sand in her shoes, but Koishi finally managed to drop the dolphin into deep enough water for it to swim again. The creature let off a series of overjoyed clicks as it swam around in front of Koishi, before coming back in to float just in front of her. Its eyes looked up at her in a wordless thanks.

"Don't go doing that again, okay? I only have so many pairs of shoes for you to ruin-"

The school bell rang in the background, and almost immediately Koishi's face turned back to its default, frowning state. Had she been smiling? She hadn't noticed.

"Oh. Sorry. Guess I need to go."

She turned on the spot, and started heaving her soaked shoes up off the beach again. She didn't really care if she was late, but she at least had to make some sort of effort to make it to school. If she didn't they would call her up as some sort of delinquent, and that wasn't worth all the trouble it would cause.

Koishi didn't notice the dolphin's eyes following her as she trekked onward to Gensou High, and she certainly couldn't tell what it was thinking of as it watched her.

She would soon enough.

* * *

><p>Class time was a blur for Koishi nowadays. Her eyes would simply look dully at the blackboard as the teacher muttered on about subjects she didn't care about. She took in just enough to keep her grades from slipping too far down, but for all intents and purposes her brain was in the off position.<p>

The only time she ever really paid any attention to her surroundings was in between class and during lunch break. It was a matter of survival, trying her best to keep her head down and avoid anyone who would give her trouble.

Unfortunately for Koishi, that was a rather large chunk of the school's population. Her attempt to avoid making eye-contact backfired miserably as someone in front of her stopped in their tracks, allowing her to walk right into them.

"Aah!"

Koishi toppled down onto the floor, with the books she had been carrying falling at her feet. She started to pick them up, still gambling on the off-chance it had been an accident and she could get away before anyone took advantage of the opening, but it was far too late.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Are you okay down there?"

The student she'd walked into turned around, looking down at the fallen student. Koishi should have guessed who it was from the tattoo on her left arm - a picture of a 9-ball from a pool game.

_Of all the people, why did it have to be Cirno?_

She was one of the school's problem kids, and the head of a small-time gang of thugs known as the Fairies. Her brunette hair had a series of blue streaks - wait, were they extensions? They couldn't be natural, but no-one else seemed to pay them any mind. She looked down at Koishi with a twisted grin, reminding her that this was no time to ponder about hair.

"Aw, grandma fell over again, didn't she? Isn't it about time someone went and put you in a care home or something?"

Cirno let out a little laugh as she stamped her foot onto the closest of the books. This was their favourite jibe at her - grandma, as a result of her silver hair. Her hand reached down to tug at it.

"This isn't a wig, is it? Never seen an old lady with as much hair as this. Let's put it to the test."

With that, she yanked at Koishi's hair violently, prompting a little squeak from her victim.

"S-Stop it! That hurts!"

Koishi's eyes looked out onto the crowd passing by, hoping that someone, anyone would look on and intervene. But Cirno wasn't the sort of person any student would mess with willingly - word was that she'd brought the Fairies to power by beating down everything that stood between them and the top spot, so anyone who valued their life stayed as far away as possible. They were street-smart, too - keeping these incidents to corridors where the teachers wouldn't see them.

So the students of Gensou High simply turned a blind eye to the goings on, and allowed Cirno to continue her little 'test'. Koishi's eyes were watering from the pain, and her arms were trying in vain to pull Cirno away.

After what felt like an age, the Head Fairy decided she'd had her fun and let go. Koishi rubbed at the sore spot on her scalp, hoping that the floor would open up and swallow her.

"Well, looks like you passed that test, grandma. I'm gonna be checking up on you now and again, though - I don't want you tripping up in the middle of the hallway again when I'm not around, y'know?"

A cruel cackle slipped out of her mouth as she darted back into the crowd, leaving Koishi to pick up her books again. She sat on the floor for a few seconds, numb, as her head sunk into her knees.

She'd always been a target for being picked on thanks to her hair colour, but it had never been this bad when Satori was around. Unlike her, Satori was brave enough to stare these bullies down, and she would always come to Koishi's rescue.

But now that she was gone, Koishi was helpless. She was too weak to defend herself, and too much of a coward to confide in anyone. That'd just get them mad, after all, and things would only go downhill from there...

The bell rang in the distance, pulling Koishi back into reality. She realised that her face was soaking wet and wiped at it with her sleeve. She clumsily picked up the fallen books, straightened her skirt as she stood up, and tried her best to merge into the crowd again.

She felt smaller than the people around her, afraid that someone would step on her and crush her under their heel at any given moment. She didn't belong here. She was a level below these people. She was too weak to fit into this crowd.

_Please...someone, somewhere...help me..._

Deep inside Koishi's heart, something began to glow with a faint orange light.

* * *

><p>Math. Koishi hated math. She hated most classes nowadays, but math outright had to be one of the worst for her.<p>

"And as you can see, when you integrate the derivative you get the original function...wait, that's what's meant to happen, anyway. Sorry, I think I've made a mistake somewhere..."

The teacher was doing her best, admittedly, but it was blatantly obvious that Professor Kawashiro wasn't trained to teach mathematics. She was a physics teacher by definition, and physicists left most of their number crunching to calculators, so when it came time for arithmetic she was hardly very trustworthy.

Koishi buried her head in her textbook. How was she expected to pass this class when even the teacher had no idea what she was talking about?

"...Hey, you hear that story that's going around?"

Koishi twitched slightly as a whisper reached her. It wasn't aimed at her - it was part of an exchange between the two girls in front of her. Koishi couldn't remember their names - one of them was a higher-up member of the Fairies, and the other was a timid-looking librarian. Koishi could see green and red streaks in their hair respectively - apparently the hair-colouring thing was all the rage nowadays or something. Even the teacher seemed to have those blue streaks, though hers were slightly darker than Cirno's.

"Um...you mean the one about the shrine on the pier? But aren't they telling all kinds of stories like that nowadays?"

"Hey, we only need one of them to be right, don't we? They say if you drop a 1000 yen bill into the donation box and make a wish, it's guaranteed to come true! We've gotta try it, really! You can get the day off library duty, right?"

"M-Maybe...but I don't exactly have 1000 yen to spare at the moment. I don't get much of an allowance, and I had to return a lot of overdue books yesterday, so..."

The big Fairy frowned at her friend's poverty, putting her head back onto the desk to catch some sleep between classes. She used her textbook for cover, though with the way Professor Kawashiro was darting around the chalkboard she had no reason to worry about being noticed.

"Ah...reduce the power, carry the three...I didn't forget the C constant, did I? Aah, it all looks right to me, but the numbers aren't adding uuuuuuup!"

The class let out a collective giggle at the teacher's misgivings. She was popular enough, and in physics classes it was more than clear she knew what she was talking about, but here she was very much out of her depth.

Koishi more or less paid no attention to the teacher, her mind caught on the discussion she'd overheard. True, it was probably nonsense, but in her situation it was a risk that was infinitely worth taking. If it failed, she might be 1000 Yen poorer, but if she succeeded...everything could be better again. She wouldn't have to go through this masquerade she called life anymore, and she could live for real.

The bell rang, signalling the end of class and the end of the day. Professor Kawashiro slumped onto her desk, defeated.

"Uh, well...read your textbooks so you understand what I was trying to teach you here! I'll see you next week when we move onto the quotient rule! (...Ugh, how do I do that again...?)"

Koishi wasn't even paying attention to her professor's mumblings as she walked out the door. Her feet were still damp from her earlier escapade, but she started to make her way back to the beach regardless. Maybe she'd have to go hungry for a little while if she was wrong, but she could live with that.

The light inside her shone a little brighter.

* * *

><p>Fortunately, the trip out of school was relatively uneventful. The occasional shove, a cry of 'grandma' from down the corridor, and one outstretched foot she managed to step around. She'd been through a lot worse, so she managed to emerge from Gensou High with her spirit still intact. Her path quickly broke away from the one taken by her fellow students, leading her back out to the coast she'd walked past this morning. The shrine was still standing, assuming 'standing' was even the right word for it any more.<p>

She stepped across the planks of the pier with care, hearing them creak audibly under her feet. She was afraid for a moment they would collapse under her weight, but she managed to make the journey across unharmed. She took a glance into the donation box, and found that it was empty save for a few cheap coins hanging around the edges.

Who would even build a shrine around here, anyway? Gensouto had two shrines already, the Hakurei and the Moriya, so there was hardly any room for a third. No wonder it had been abandoned.

_But still...it can grant wishes?_

Now that she'd come all the way out here it sounded even more like nonsense to her. A broken down shrine, making people's dreams come true for the low price of 1000 Yen? That was class-A crazy, no doubt about it. She was an idiot for even considering that it might be true, and now was when she should have just turned around and headed straight home.

But she couldn't bring herself to do it. Her feet were glued in place, and she stared intently down at the donation box. Even if it was ridiculous, absurd, a trillion-to-one chance, disregarding it when it could be true would be absolutely horrific. Her hand reached into her bag, where she'd stored a purse along with her school equipment. It came back out, holding a weathered 1000 yen note, fingers trembling slightly.

_Please work...whatever god this shrine is meant to praise, I'm begging you...!_

She held the note above the box, her whole hand shaking now. She was terrified, but at the same time placing her whole heart into this. She already knew exactly what she would wish for - she could recite it with perfect clarity. In fact, she would, just so that this gracious deity didn't misinterpret her.

She dropped the note into the donation box as the words flooded out of her.

"Please, more than anything...I want someone who can look after me! Someone who I can depend on, who'll defend me for the rest of my life! Someone strong, someone brave, someone who'll always care about me! Please!"

The girl made a heartfelt wish known to the world.

The orange light within her exploded into life.

* * *

><p>A single eyebrow was raised.<p>

"So, it's begun."

The woman put a finger to her head, whispering something in a language no land-dweller would understand.

_The Siren has sung. Retrieve the Teardrop, and bring it to me._

No need to do the dirty work herself, she thought. After all, the girl was not even aware of her own strength. All it would take was a few helping hands off the pier, and she would be one step closer to her goal.

"Heh, an abandoned shrine that grants wishes? If only I could make them all this creative."

* * *

><p>A voice jumped into its mind.<p>

The girl had made her wish already? It was not meant to have happened so quickly. But that was irrelevant. It seemed that she was waiting at the pier.

_...Which'll put her right in harm's way. Dammit!_

No time to be lost. It was a long swim to the pier, but there would be a life at stake. This would put another teardrop in the hands of the enemy if she was too late.

It swam like a creature possessed, desperate to stop a tragedy from occuring.

* * *

><p><em>...Nothing?<em>

Koishi continued to stare down into the box, waiting for some sort of spirit to emerge and grant her wish. Like something out of a bad children's movie, a genie trapped in the box would give her a wish in exchange for his freedom or something absurd like that.

But no puff of smoke popped out from inside the box. No kind spirit appeared to reward her generosity. The box was exactly the same as it had always been, except it had now swallowed 1000 extra yen.

Koishi slumped down onto her knees.

"What's wrong with me? Why did I...Why did I think something stupid like that was going to work?"

She was crying again. She'd been an idiot, and absolute moron. Maybe they'd deliberately dropped a rumour like that in front of her just to see if she'd fall for it. Well, she'd given them what they wanted, just like she always did.

Stupid. So stupid. Satori would have told her to think straight if she were here.

_...But she isn't, is she?_

Koishi continued to weep, too far out for anyone to notice her. She heard something fall to the floor with a strange jingling sound.

"...Eh?"

She opened her eyes, wiping tears away in order to see properly again. Something was lying on the wooden plank in front of her, and her hand instinctively reached down to pick it up. It glinted in the light of the setting sun, shining a beautiful shade of orange.

"Is this...some sort of jewel?"

It was shaped like a teardrop, without a flaw or a crack within it. It was only as large as her pinky, but it was made of a clear substance that Koishi had never seen before. It was firm to the touch, but it was warm in a way that metal shouldn't have been.

_This is...weird. Maybe I should take it into school tomorrow and ask Professor Yagokoro-_

A splash.

"Huh?"

Did something fall into the water behind her? Koishi looked out to sea again, checking if the shrine had finally collapsed and fallen into the coast.

Her heart stopped as she looked more closely.

Nothing had fallen in. Something was coming out.

"K-Kyaaah!"

What was it, what was it, what was it? Her brain told her that a creature like that couldn't exist, it was absurd, just look at it, it had the figure of a man but the scales and head of a fish, what sort of animal looked like that, that's right, none of them, and now it was climbing up onto the pier in front of the shrine and looking at her with those ridiculous eyes...

Koishi's brain did everything in its power to deny the creature in front of her. It was unnatural, it was impossible, it was outright wrong. If denial were a force in and of itself, it would have been enough to kill the creature a dozen times over. But it stayed standing regardless, and trudged along towards Koishi with its huge webbed feet.

"S-Stay away from me! What do you want?"

Koishi got to her feet and stepped backwards, trying to edge herself off of the pier. The boards continued to creak again, and now the fear of them collapsing beneath her was felt doubly so. She couldn't run - a sudden movement could just make it strike out at her. It had to be slow and precise...

**Bump.**

"Eeh?"

Her back pressed against something. Something cold and slimy.

And scaly.

_A-Another one!_

Before she could turn around to confirm her fears, the creature grabbed her by the shoulders and held her in place. Her legs kicked around in the air, but she was too far away to hope for any contact.

"Aaaah! Let go of me, please! Don't hurt me, please!"

She sounded pathetic, and she knew it, but how else was she meant to react? The other creature yanked at her bag, tearing the straps and pulling it off of her body. It looked inside, clearly searching for something, but after a quick examination it dropped the bag on the pier unfulfilled.

_What are they looking for...?_

Her thoughts turned to the gem she'd found, now clasped tightly in one hand. Was she supposed to just hand it over to these...creatures? They refused to offer her a response.

The fishmen looked at each other, silently arranging a plan. They nodded to one another, before the first creature grabbed Koishi's feet. Its companion locked its hands around Koishi's wrists.

"H-Hey, what are you...?"

They dashed down the pier, with speed that no human could possibly hope to match. For a moment it looked like they were going to crash into the shrine, but they leapt over it with impossible agility, rising at least twenty feet in the air. Koishi was their unwilling passenger, struggling in vain to break their grips as they started to lose height.

The trio descended into the depths of the sea, unnoticed by the people of Gensouto.

* * *

><p>"Mmh! Mmgbl!"<p>

_Let go, let go! Please, don't do this!_

The fishmen ignored Koishi's desperate flailing, holding her with iron grips as they descended deeper and deeper into the water. Her chest was already aching, and despite her best efforts air seeped out of her nose and upwards into the distance. The surface was only barely visible now - even if they let go, it'd be almost impossible for her to reach the surface.

_Why? What did I do to deserve this...?_

It wasn't fair. All of it, losing Satori, being so powerless, so gullible, so foolish, and now this - none of it was fair. What had she done to deserve this sort of punishment? Had she broken some divine law? Was this some god's way of striking her down?

"Onee-glan! Onee-glaan!"

Panicking, Koishi cried out for her saviour, praying that someone would rescue her from these...things. She couldn't look after herself - she needed a hero to defend her in her time of need.

No-one was following from the surface.

"...G-gglbl..."

_Of course. Who'd waste their time trying to save a loser like me...?_

She was starting to feel faint now. The world around her started to dim, and her eyes began to close as her air seeped out of her. She went limp in the arms of her captors, on the brink of unconsciousness.

"Click, click!"

_Hmm...?_

That noise sounded familiar, and Koishi just about pulled her head back far enough to see where it was coming from. It was hard to make out, just a grey dot in the distance, growing larger and larger by the second-

**Wham!**

If she'd had any air left in her, that impact would have knocked it right out. The fishmen were knocked aside as the grey projectile charged, carrying the ailing Koishi on its back.

_...Huh? You're the dolphin from earlier..._

Her brain was too oxygen-deprived to think straight right now. She was hearing things now, voices in her head that didn't have people to go with them.

_"...ring..."_

Koishi's eyes lazily looked down, still ready to pass out at any moment. There was a small ring on top of the creature's fin, shining faintly in the darkness.

_"...wear the ring..."_

She didn't know where the voice was coming from, and frankly she was too tired to care. Wherever this voice was coming from, she decided that she would obey it as her last act. Her right hand still held the gem from earlier, but she balanced it in the palm of her hand as she picked up the ring and - with some difficulty - lodged it on the ring finger of her left hand.

_There. Now I can-_

Her body reached its limit, and forced her to take a breath in. This had to be it, this had to be the end of her.

...

So why did she feel better?

* * *

><p>She cursed in the empty air to no-one in particular.<p>

"The damned Pearl made it there first? Son of a submariner!"

* * *

><p><em>"Jeez, I didn't cut that half-close. You okay?"<em>

This was beyond surreal now - this was definitely water she was breathing now, but there was no choking or drowning. She was breathing it like she'd breathe regular air. And even now, she was still hallucinating this voice in her head.

_Wait. Is that voice..._

It took her a few seconds to work up the nerve to speak underwater, but the words came out with perfect ease.

"Um...hello? Is that you?"

She looked downward, seeing her mount look up at her with a smile.

_"You sure look fine enough from here. What a relief - the boss would have me served for dinner if I let you die like that."_

The dolphin stopped in its tracks, turning back the way it had come. The fishmen from before were coming back, and they looked ready to finish what they'd started.

_"OK, kid, here's the deal. I'm going to ask you to do some something that'll make absolutely no sense to you. I need you to trust me on this one, got it?"_

The dolphin's glance at her looked sterner now, as stern as a dolphin could possibly look. Koishi blinked once before replying.

"Let me get this straight. I'm riding a dolphin while I'm breathing water and being chased by two fish-man...things, and you think there's anything here that makes sense?"

_"Huh. Good point."_

The fishmen came closer still. They weren't armed, but their fingers unveiled claws that looked set to turn Koishi and her ride into a nice little pile of bits.

"...Alright. What do I have to do?"

Koishi was still running on adrenaline from her near-death experience. By now any semblance of rational thought had flown out the window in her head - she was ready to do just about anything now.

_"Good. See that gem in your hand? Squeeze it really hard, and then just let out any words that come to mind."_

Well, the dolphin had been telling the truth when she'd said this would make absolutely no sense to Koishi. Still, if it was a choice between following a ridiculous order and getting sliced up, there wasn't really a choice at all. The gem was still in her right hand, and she squeezed down on it with all her strength.

_W-What is this?_

The jewel started to shine with a pale orange light as she pressed at it, and before she even realised it there were words seeping out of her mouth. The light of the gem started to pour across her own body, surrounding her in an orange aura.

"Wherever evil forces be,  
>On the land or in the sea,<br>All who sin should cower and flee  
>From Dolphin Rider Koishi!"<p>

The light enveloped her entirely, running across her entire body. She felt her clothes falling away, but the light was gracious enough to stop her from being exposed. Something else began to run across her body, clinging carefully to her like a second skin. Looking down, she saw a white fabric forming around her, covering her torso like a swimsuit while leaving her bare legs exposed. A pair of gloves appeared on her hands, a perfect fit. Her hair began to flow freely behind her, floating naturally in the water without so much as a hair moving out of place. Her outfit began to grow more accessorised - a ribbon appeared around her neck, and her gloves gained a pair of dolphin emblems. The orange gem reappeared on her chest, fused with her clothing and shining with a brilliant glow.

In her hand, she felt a sudden weight, and something cold entered her grip. Looking down, she realised that she was now holding onto a golden trident, its tips glistening with deadly sharpness. The orange tint around her began to fade, and she became one with the world again, holding her weapon towards the enemy with a dramatic pose.

"Halt, villains! I, Dolphin Rider Koishi, have emerged to put a stop to your evil deeds! In the name of the sea, prepare to be punished!"

Then her brain turned back on again.

"Wait, what the hell am I wearing!"

_"No time for talk, kid! Two overgrown tuna, twelve o'clock!"_

The dolphin's voice in her head reminded Koishi of her priorities. The creatures didn't look any happier for having witnessed her transformation, and they continued to charge at her with their claws at the ready.

_"These guys should be no problem for you. Just give 'em a little beamy goodness and you'll be fine!"_

"Beamy...goodness?"

_"Just point the trident, and let the magic do the rest!"_

Koishi wished the dolphin would give some more precise instructions, but when there was so little time to work with she decided to be content with the cryptic crossword version. She pointed the trident towards the oncoming enemies, and willed her power into it.

The tips of the trident hummed as tiny dots of light began to emerge from them. They shone a light orange, growing in intensity as Koishi focused her mind on it. The fishmen dashed forwards regardless, either unaware or unafraid of her attack.

"Now, disappear beneath the waves and never return!"

Words were flowing out of her mouth again, and subconsciously Koishi flinched as she realised the nonsense she was spewing. Then again, if it kept her alive, it was an embarrassment she could handle. The trident was now pronged with three orbs of pure orange light, and letting off a loud humming noise. The creatures were almost in range.

_"Now!"_

**"IRUKA BEEEEAM!"**

The three spheres merged into one, forming on the centre tip of the trident. For a moment, the ball turned white.

Then it exploded forward into a pillar of light, almost blinding its owner as the blast knocked Koishi back. The resulting magic encased a huge area in front of her, as wide as she was tall. The fishmen barely had time to realise what was going on, let alone avoid the attack. They were caught in Koishi's onslaught, collapsing into a dozen fish of various breeds and darting multiple directions.

The light faded, and Koishi turned the trident away. She looked on in amazement as her mind processed the outcome of her actions.

"...I...won?"

She struggled for breath, panting heavily. The dolphin looked up at her with concern.

_"Crap, you really went all out on that one, didn't you? I should've told you to start off a little smaller..."_

Koishi continued to pant, giving off a faint smile.

"I...I did it..."

Her body fell forward, resting on the dolphin's fin. She suddenly felt fatigue weigh her body down, and her eyes fell shut without a hint of resistance.

_"Dammit, don't pass out! ...Great, now I have to take this girl home..."_

The dolphin started heading for the surface, carrying its exhausted passenger in tow. Koishi slept soundly on its back, dreaming for the first time of something other than her sister. She saw visions of herself, flying through the air without wings, soaring through the sky like a free bird.

It was a welcome change.

* * *

><p>"Ma'am, this is Agent Sango reporting."<p>

"Did you manage to extract the target?"

"Confirmed, ma'am. Contact has been made. The Siren has become aware."

"Combat abilities?"

"I haven't seen enough to be sure, but she has definite potential."

"Excellent. Get her informed ASAP. We don't have a minute to lose on the other Sirens."

"Yes, ma'am. Agent Sango out."

The call ended, and the woman placed her phone to one side. She groaned to herself, looking at the board behind her.

"I can get all of that running, but I can't get this to come together right..."


	2. Retreat

"Nnngh..."

Cold. Cold cold cold. Koishi felt like she'd just been hauled out of the ocean, her clothes clinging to her skin. She shivered as she held her bedsheets close, groaning beneath her breath.

She'd had a strange dream. A wish from the shrine, creatures from the deep, a magical ring, and...she didn't like thinking about the part where she turned into a magical girl. It had felt so real, but it couldn't have happened - maybe it was a hallucination? Maybe she had a fever.

"Yeah, that makes sense..."

In that case, the best solution would be some more rest. Koishi laid her head down on the pillow again and relaxed, waiting to drift off to sleep once again. Getting sick was pretty handy for her - it meant that she wouldn't have to go into school tomorrow, and she'd get to avoid Cirno and her gang for a whole day.

"...Hey. You awake yet?"

These hallucinations were more believable than she thought. That one sounded just like someone was sitting next to the bed, talking to her. But that was impossible - she never had visitors. The voice sounded vaguely familiar, but she couldn't put a face to it.

"I heard you mumbling to yourself. Rise and shine, okay?"

The voice was getting more irritated. She'd heard it last night - yesterday? This morning? She didn't know what time it was right now. Whatever time it was, she wanted the voice to leave her alone for now.

For all these hallucinations floating around, the pillow that slammed into her face felt incredibly real.

"Ow!"

It didn't hurt much, but it was enough to get Koishi to wake up. She sat upright in bed, clutching at her nose with a groan.

"Morning, sleepyhead! You're lucky you had your address down in your wallet, or I'd have had to leave you on the pier."

The voice sounded a lot more cheerful now that Koishi had woken up in full. It annoyed her that she couldn't place it - it wasn't a classmate, but who else could it be? The only other voice she'd heard recently was in that dream of hers, the one from the dol-

_Oh, god._

She didn't want to open her eyes. She had a horrible feeling that if she did, she'd see something ridiculous again. It would just be a good idea to lie down and go back to sleep...

"Do I need to throw something else at you?"

Apparently she was going to be barraged with household objects until she woke up. May as well take the plunge now rather than later, then. She counted to three in her head, then opened her eyes wide.

Another girl was sitting in the chair at her side, looking down on her with dark blue eyes. Her shirt had an odd bubble pattern running along its sleeves, and her skirt was dripping onto the carpet. She was soaked just like Koishi was, but she didn't seem to mind.

For a while, it didn't seem all that bad. She wasn't one of those weird fish-things from before, at least. Her hair was strange, true - a shade of silver, just like hers - and her outfit was a little eccentric, but she didn't have scales or anything else freaky like that. She could deal with odd hair and fashion sense.

Then the girl turned her head slightly, and Koishi saw the fin sticking out of her back.

"Ah-"

Koishi's cry caught in her throat as she promptly fainted.

* * *

><p>She awoke more violently the next time around, as a bucket of water was dropped on her face.<p>

"Don't collapse on me again, please. I need to talk to you about a ton of stuff, and it's sorta hard to do that when you're unconscious."

She didn't sound angry, in spite of what her language would have suggested. Apparently having a legitimate reason to drop a bucket of water on someone's face was enough to entertain this girl. Koishi spluttered momentarily, but she was definitely awake this time.

"Good, you're gonna stay up this time," the girl said, smiling. "Nice to meet you...Koishi-san, wasn't it? At least, that was what you called yourself during the fight."

So the fight had happened. Koishi felt an urge to curl up in shame.

"Uh, yeah. Koishi Komeiji. But..."

This was not the time for names. This girl was not normal. No matter how much she tried, Koishi couldn't look away from what was coming out of the girl's back.

"Please tell me I am seeing things and that you do not have a fin."

The girl looked back on herself, like she didn't understand what Koishi was talking about. She made a little 'oh' sound as she put two and two together.

"Yeah, that's a bit of a nuisance. I'm not exactly undercover right now, so I didn't see any point in hiding it. After all, you know who I am, right?"

Koishi struggled for a response for a few seconds.

"Um...not really. Unless you want me to say 'a magical dolphin who saved my life'. And I really don't want to say that."

The dolphin leaned across the bed, her face wearing an absurd-looking smile.

"Aw, why not? You know I'm adorable. I can see it in your eyes - you just wanna give your friend Sango a big hug and tell her what a great person she is, right?"

"Not really."

Silence. Sango pouted.

"...Oh. Well, I'm sure we'll get to know each other a lot better. We've got a lot of work to do together, after all!"

Sango raised her arms into the air in celebration. She acted younger than she looked - and she looked around Koishi's age.

"Um...what work?"

Koishi still had no idea what was going on here. Sango frowned at her.

"I was about to get to that! Jeez, I figured you Sirens would be a little more patient."

Another term that Koishi didn't recognise. This definitely wasn't a hallucination now - even if her brain was going haywire, it would still make more sense than this.

"A siren? What, were you that desperate to wake me up?"

"No, silly, I'm talking about you. See that gem you have over there? That's proof that you're a Siren."

Sango pointed to the desk next to Koishi's bed. Turning to it, Koishi saw that sitting on top of it was the orange jewel from earlier. The one that she'd...

"That gem is what we call a Tidal Teardrop. Long story behind 'em, but for now let's just say they're what let you go super-powered in that fight earlier."

Koishi picked the Teardrop up. It glistened slightly, letting off the same beautiful tint it had earlier.

"There are seven Teardrops in total, and they're all hidden in the hearts of girls in this city. They get released when you make a wish from the bottom of your heart. That make sense?"

She remembered the shrine. The wish she'd made to find someone who would look after her. Had Sango appeared to grant that wish...? Koishi nodded, putting together what had been said so far.

"Why 7 in particular?"

"Hell if I know. Magic just seems to like certain numbers for some reason. Don't ask me, I just work here."

Sango shrugged, sighing in preparation for what she had to say next.

"Now, this is where things get a little weird, so bear with me, okay? I want you to start by looking down on yourself."

Koishi stared blankly at Sango for a moment, but eventually she complied and pulled the covers away.

"What the-?"

Something was running across her body - a series of purple cords travelling along her legs and coming to an end at her chest. A dark blue sphere was attached to them, centred over where Koishi's heart was. An eyelid hung shut on it, and it didn't look set to open any time soon.

How could she have missed this? It was connected to her body in four, five different places, but she couldn't feel it at all. It was like it had always been a part of her-

"Wait. No, that's impossible..."

Sango smiled.

"I'm not introducing you to any new world, Koishi-san. I'm just helping you see what's already there."

* * *

><p>"This is gonna be a lot for you to take in, I figure. The world runs on science and logic nowadays, so how am I supposed to tell you that the old fairy tales you heard as a kid were real? No human would believe those stories nowadays - and that's exactly why magic doesn't 'exist' in the human world."<p>

Sango had stood up, walking to and fro like a lecturer. Koishi could see a definite spring in her step as she told the story.

"See, if you think magic exists, it does. If you don't, it doesn't. You humans aren't actually seeing the world for what it is - a zany, magical land where everyone got some sorta superpower or secret ability. You've all got crazy hair, crazy eyes - sometimes even weird stuff like that third eye of yours. Of course, no-one ever realises this 'cause no-one believes in magic anymore."

Koishi raised her hand, puzzled.

"Hair? You mean, people having blue hair for no reason and not being aware of it?"

Sango stopped her monologue, taken aback by Koishi's question.

"W-Well, yeah, pretty much. How'd you know that?"

"I, uh, sort of see it sometimes. People with weird strands of hair that no-one else seems to notice...is that normal?"

Sango bit her lip, which was enough to tell Koishi the answer was a definite 'no'.

"OK, that's not the sort of thing I got briefed about, so I'm gonna just have to say I have no idea what's going on there. Anyway, back to what I _can_ tell you."

She went back to her lecturing strides, trying to act as if that little blip in her knowledge had never happened.

"So there's two ways for humans to realise magic exists - either believe it whole-heartedly, or basically have undeniable evidence thrown in your face. The former's kinda too much to ask nowadays, so it's the latter that makes people really take notice. It's also kinda what happened when you saw those fishmen and I bailed you out and all."

Koishi suddenly realised she'd never offered thanks to Sango for her help earlier, and immediately she felt guilty for having forgotten.

"Um. You saved me from those...whatever they were. Thank you, Sango-san."

"No problem. Anyway, the other thing people don't realise about the world is that there are people around them who've been aware of the truth the whole time."

Koishi raised an eyebrow. "You don't mean wicca folk and stuff like that, do you?"

Sango sighed, pointing to her fin again.

"Here's a hint."

Koishi stared at the fin while her brain processed the question. Her jaw slowly opened.

"You don't mean...animals, do you?"

"Yup. Most people would just think I was a dolphin - kinda smart, but not as smart as one of you. How wrong can you get, huh?"

Sango smirked, taking a proud stance and looking dramatically into the distance. It was clearly meant to impress, but Koishi disregarded it entirely.

"So, we animals are in two minds when it comes to you humans. Most of us think things are fine the way they are, and that humans are best kept in the dark in terms of the whole magic deal. Humans are already volatile enough creatures as it is, so giving them all that power is basically begging for trouble.

"But that's not how all of us think. Some creatures - well, youkai as you'd call us - figure that giving power back to humanity will be a good thing. Not because it'll help the race, but because it'll be exactly what wipes mankind off the map. They call themselves the Children of the Black Claw, and they're the ones who tried to kill you."

Koishi frowned. This was all getting horribly complicated...it was hard enough for her to take in that magic existed in the first place, let alone that every animal she'd ever met was at least as smart as she'd ever been. Now Sango was starting to delve into magical politics, and Koishi's head was really hurting.

"Again, I'm not gonna go into detail about how it works, but the Claw wants to get hold of those Teardrops. With the power they could get from those, they could do practically anything they liked - natural catastrophes, mass mind-control, and even go so far as forcing mankind to accept the existence of magic. I assume you agree with me that these are all bad things?"

Koishi nodded without even needing to think it over. Sango smiled.

"So that's why there's another sect designed to stop the Claw from collecting the Teardrops. We're here to defend the Sirens, recover the artifacts, and stop them from falling into the wrong hands. There aren't many of us, but we're well trained and fully-devoted."

She bowed gracefully, to the extent that it was almost parody.

"And so it's with great pleasure that I offer my services to you as Sango Tororetsu: Initiate of the Order of the White Pearl, and your new personal bodyguard."

* * *

><p>"Think you can understand all of that?"<p>

Koishi took a moment to think it all over, but eventually she nodded. So basically there were bad guys who wanted to use that teardrop to take over the world, and Sango was here to protect her? That made sense.

"So, um. How long do we have to wait before they stop looking for the Teardrops?"

Sango's face fell.

"Wait? We're not going to wait for them to get bored, Koishi. We've got to go at there and find the other Teardrops before they do! True, they won't get all seven, but even four or five in their hands is really dangerous!"

Now this part Koishi didn't like. Her voice grew a little more flustered as she began to question the dolphin.

"W-Well, can't you just wait for them to make their wish or whatever, and save them like you saved me?"

"I can't be responsible for all of the Sirens at once. If I go out of my way to save someone else, that would leave you in danger, Koishi-san. And like I said, there aren't many of us in the Order - I'm pretty much the only agent they could send to look out for you in person."

Koishi was starting to tremble a little now.

"But...that means we'd need to fight again."

Sango shrugged.

"Probably. The Claw isn't gonna sit on its heels and wait for the Sirens to wake up, either - they'll get lackeys to do the work for them, force them to embrace the truth. Other girls who they lure into servitude with promises of power. Girls your age. Hell, maybe even girls you went to class with this very morning."

Koishi fell silent. Her eyes started to water a little, and she sank back into her bedcovers. Her heart was pounding with fear just at the thought of going through another fight like that again - it had been adrenaline alone that guided her through her battle against the fishmen, and now she was being asked to fight people she knew? People she'd gone to school with her whole life? It was too much, far too much.

"I...I don't want to fight."

The dolphin sighed.

"Koishi. I know it's scary, but I'm counting on you to-"

"You don't get it! I can't help you, Sango-san!"

Koishi burst out at Sango, raising her voice to a shout for the first time in the discussion. Sango stepped backwards, mouth hanging open.

"You've got the wrong girl here. I'm no hero, okay? I can't go out there and beat people up and fight for love and justice or whatever it is you want me to do. I can't even stand up to one girl my age, so how do you expect me to take on this whole magical-animal-cult-thing!"

Koishi pulled the covers over her head, slumping down into bed again. Sango bit her lip - she hadn't just struck a nerve, she'd stabbed a knife through it and run all the way along.

"Koishi-san...don't say stuff like that. You saw what you did to those fish-freaks, didn't you? You beat the crap out of them!"

"What if I just got lucky? And besides, it's only going to get harder from here, right?"

Sango couldn't answer that one, and bit her lip as she tried to come up with a response. There wasn't much she could do, though - if Koishi wasn't going to accept that she'd managed to succeed, Sango could hardly convince her to change her mind after knowing her for all of an hour.

"Take that Teardrop, and give it to someone else, okay?" Koishi said, her voice tiny now. "Just act like I never had it."

Koishi pulled the pillow over her head, effectively ending the conversation on her part. Sango bit her lip, wishing she could do more here - she wasn't willing to give up on Koishi, especially after that show she'd put on. She wouldn't admit it herself, but Koishi had kicked some serious...wait, fish didn't really have rears, did they? Anyway, she was incredibly strong for a beginner. She had potential, and it might just be enough to get the White Pearl through this war. But the problem now was making her want to fight - no, making her think she _could_ fight.

"...Maybe I should leave this to someone who knows you better."

Koishi barely heard her from beneath the pillow, and her words didn't make any sense anyway. She heard Sango walk towards the doorway.

"I'll be hanging around for a while, so feel free to think this over. Later."

She made her way out of the room, leaving the door open behind her. Maybe she was waiting until Koishi calmed down? If that was the case, it wouldn't work - nothing that girl said would change her mind, come hell or high water.

She heard Sango's voice from the hallway, aimed at someone else entirely.

"You two can see her now. Hopefully she won't be too surprised."

Two voices let out little yelps of joy at that one. Koishi was confused - who on earth would be wanting to visit her at a time like this? She still didn't have any friends who'd have a reason to visit, and the only living things that stayed here besides her were Rin and Utsuho-

_Wait._

She pulled her thoughts back to what Sango had told her earlier - animals were part of the magical world as well. So...did that mean...?

"K...Koishi-sama?"

A new voice entered the room, asking after her with concern. It was joined by a second, more aggressive one soon after.

"Nyaah! Outta the way, outta the way! I can't get in with you blocking the doorway like that!"

There was a sound of someone being pushed, and two shouts as the newcomers tumbled onto the floor in a heap. Koishi was torn between looking over the edge of the bed and confirming her fears and holding this pillow down for just long enough to suffocate herself. Survival instinct won in the end, however, and she satisfied her curiosity.

Two young girls were looking back up at her - one with a pair of raven's wings emerging from her back, and the other sporting a set of feline ears. There was no doubt about it - these were the pets she'd looked after since she was a child, except they'd apparently been a lot more intelligent than she'd previously imagined.

There was an awkward silence as the pets prepared to speak with their master for the first time.

"Uh...hi?"


	3. Acceptance

On one hand, there was still a way for things to get more embarrassing than this. At least they were wearing clothes, though Koishi had no idea where they'd come from. Rin was dressed in a long dark green dress, and Utsuho was clad in a white shirt with a light green skirt. Both of them had long, flowing hair; Rin's was red and tied in a pair of ponytails, while Utsuho's was black and tied with a single green ribbon. In regards to looks, they looked almost like normal people.

Except for the ears and the wings, anyway. But she'd have scored them 9 out of 10 on the human scale.

"Nyaah! Koishi-sama, you're alright! When the fish woman showed up at our front door with you in her arms after school, we were so worried about you!"

Rin was the first to recover from her case of paralysis, pulling herself off the floor and wrapping her arms around her master. She then promptly leapt away, flapping her arms madly.

"Brr...! You're still soaking, Koishi-sama! You must be really cold wearing those! Should we make you a fire or something?"

"I'm fine, Rin. Really."

Rin's flailing stopped, and she pouted. She held a finger of authority up to Koishi as if she was the master in this relationship.

"OK, this is something I've wanted to clear up for a while: call me Orin, dammit! Rin Kaenbyou is way too long a name for a cat, nya!"

"Uh, but that was the name that Onee-chan gave you. I didn't think I was allowed to-"

"I give you permission, okay? That's a silly name for a cat, and I don't like it!"

Rin - wait, no, it was Orin now - flailed around a little as her rant came to an end. Utsuho came to her feet at last, and in every way she looked a little slower than Orin did. Every motion of hers seemed slow and meticulous, carefully planned out and thought over.

"Um. Koishi-sama? Please call me Okuu from now on."

This nickname made even less sense than Orin's did. Koishi simply stared at her in confusion, eventually convincing Utsuho to offer an explanation.

"Well, um...Uzuho...Utsuo...my normal name is hard to say, so Orin said I should just use Okuu instead."

Compared to Orin, Okuu's speech was much more childish. She was probably a little less intelligent than her partner - bird-brained, for the lack of any better word.

"Yeah, Okuu was one I came up with. It's the same kanji you guys used for Utsuho, right? So there's no problem!"

Koishi nodded along. She was surprised that Orin was familiar with kanji as well, and she had a feeling that it was a skill that Okuu didn't share with her.

"So, uh. You're telling me you two have known about this whole magic thing the whole time?"

"Yes."

Okuu answered instantly, without a hint of embarrassment. This earned her a prompt bopping on the head from Orin.

"Unyu!"

"S-Sorry, Koishi-sama. I know it looks really bad that we kept you in the dark, but it's kind of an unspoken agreement, y'know? I guess dolphin lady filled you in on a lot, so..."

Were they like this whenever she wasn't around? Come to think of it, they must have been in this form to let Sango in while she was passed out. They'd probably make a good manzai pair, actually.

"It's okay. I understand that you weren't allowed to say anything."

It felt awkward doing this when they looked almost human now, but Koishi gave her pets the usual playful treatment, scratching just behind Orin's ears and running a hand down Okuu's hair.

"U-Unyuu..."

Okuu in particular seemed to enjoy the feeling, letting out a little sound of satisfaction. Orin was mature enough to keep her pleasure to herself, simply responding with a bright smile.

"But, Koishi-sama...you sounded angry when you were talking to the dolphin lady earlier. Is something wrong?"

The hand scratching Orin came to a halt. She could feel it tremble slightly as Koishi let out a long, heaving sigh.

"It...It's a long story..."

Koishi did what she could to explain the situation, putting it into simple words so that Okuu could keep up. After a few minutes she was satisfied that she'd got the point across, and expected her pets to understand where she was coming from.

No such luck.

"Unyu...if it's your stone, doesn't that mean you should be taking care of it?"

"Koishi-sama, do you realise what this means? You get to be a hero like in one of those anime they show in the mornings after you've left for school!"

Koishi suddenly understood why she found the television on when she came home, but that was hardly the point right now. Maybe animals just didn't have the same sense of danger as humans did.

"Look, it's not that easy. It'd be hard, and brutal, and it'd be a waste of time for me to do it when there are better candidates out there."

She slumped back into bed again, her own words draining the life out of her.

"There are a thousand other girls my age who'd be a better hero than me. It's stupid for me to risk my life when there's no point, you know?"

That was a difficult point to respond to, and it was the first one to put a stopper on that mouth of Orin's. Okuu sat and gazed into space, not looking like she was paying any attention to the conversation at all, and Koishi took their silence as consent.

"...Can you guys go tell Sango to leave? She can have the Teardrop, no problem. I don't want it, anyway."

Koishi picked up the gem on the desk, throwing it across the room towards her pets. It landed in front of Okuu, who looked down at it curiously. She seemed fascinated by the light bouncing off of it, holding it at all sorts of angles and inspecting it rather than actually following Koishi's order.

"Koishi-sama?"

Koishi didn't respond. Right now she'd done all the explaining she needed to, and she just wanted to get some sleep. She wanted all of this magical crap to just leave her alone and go away.

"You didn't mean any of that, did you?"

They couldn't see her from here, but both of them could make out Koishi jerking under the covers at the sound of that. Okuu wasn't verbose, but she was good at getting to the heart of the matter.

"You're running away, Koishi-sama. You're scared."

It wasn't meant as an insult - Okuu was just speaking matter-of-factly. Her grasp of tact was non-existent, and she relentlessly hit Koishi right where it hurt.

"O-Okuu, maybe you should give Koishi-sama some time to herself..."

Orin did what she could to silence her friend, but the damage had already been done. The covers were shivering now, and they could hear Koishi sniffling from beneath them.

"It's just...I could die out there! What if I'm not good enough? They already nearly killed me, and they could do it again, and, and..."

Koishi's sniffles stopped. She still trembled beneath the covers, but all sorts of thoughts were filling her mind. If it was magic involved, there were even more ways for her to die - they could burn her, freeze her, stab her, impale her, crush her, and all sorts of other ideas that were equally distressing. That was it - she couldn't do this. They couldn't ask this of her.

"But Koishi-sama. What happens if you pass it on?"

It was a simple question with a simple answer, but Koishi hadn't stopped to think about it. If she turned it down, the only thing Sango could do would be pass the Teardrop onto someone else. Then they'd get left to make the same decision she had to make, with the added pressure that the previous candidate chickened out.

"Ah...Okuu has a point there. I know it's scary, but someone has to do it, Koishi-sama-"

"But why me? Why do I have to be the hero? I'm no fighter, you two. I won one fight on a lucky fluke, and now she wants me to go save the world? I can't do it! She's wasting her time on me!"

She knew full well she was being irresponsible now, but she didn't care. She was too weak to be a hero like Sango wanted her to be, and no-one would convince her otherwise.

Orin wore a pained expression as she watched her mistress squirm around in bed. Okuu still tilted her head to one side, apparently unable to understand why Koishi didn't follow her logic.

"...Koishi-sama. You're going to get mad at me for saying this, but..."

Orin took a deep breath. She was deathly afraid of hurting Koishi's feelings here, but if this was the only way she could get to her she'd have to go for it.

"You need to move on, Koishi-sama. You can't go on forever thinking that you need someone to protect you. You're a young woman now, and there's no-one around to look after you anymore. ...I'm sorry, nyaa..."

Orin immediately felt like she'd said too much, and felt her stomach cave in a little. Koishi took a while to respond, the words barely creeping out of her mouth.

"...You don't understand, Orin. It took so long..."

Orin bit her lip hard. She'd been afraid that this would remind her of that incident, and all remembering it was going to do was make Koishi even more afraid.

"They told me I was gone for thirty seconds, but I remember it lasting forever..."

* * *

><p><strong>It was summer, one of the last few days of cram school. My class ended up finishing early because the teacher was sick, so I got to sit around for an hour waiting for Onee-chan to finish up. There was nowhere for me to sit inside the school, so I got stuck waiting outside for her to finish up.<strong>

**I dunno how long it was. I just started walking laps around the school to pass the time, but I got bored eventually. I figured I could get away with heading a little further away from the school - I'd see Onee-chan coming out anyway, and it was still pretty light.**

**There was something I wanted to check anyway, so I took a little stroll to a lake nearby. I'd been given a treasure map by one of my classmates earlier, marking the lakebed with a giant X at one point. There was hidden treasure there, apparently, and I wanted to see if I could find it for myself. I only had to pay a good 500 Yen for it as well. Tewi was a good friend.**

**I took off my bag and shoes before treading carefully into the water. A little cold, but I could handle it. We'd just finished with swimming lessons in school, so I figured a little lake couldn't be that much of a problem. I swam out into the water, remembering the instructions I'd been given from the teacher: arms straight, legs straight, everything at right angles to the surface. No problem.**

**That was about far enough, I thought. I took a deep breath, and plunged down into the water below. The X should have been round about here, according to the map, so I swam along the bottom to inspect it in further detail. I couldn't see any of the markings that Tewi pointed out on the map, like the rock shaped like a cross of the dead man's skull. All I could see was seaweed, seaweed and more seaweed.**

**I was beginning to wonder if I'd been tricked by a simple prank when something yanked at my leg.**

**"Agglubl?"**

**I turned on the spot, feeling my left leg stuck in place. Seaweed was tied all around it in some impossibly complicated set of knots. I tried to jerk my leg out from the seaweed's grip, but it was firmly caught in its grip.**

**That's when the fear started to set in.**

**I tugged with both hands. Had to get out. Had to get rid of it. No luck. I was too nervous - all I did was tie myself up even more.**

**"M-Mmbl! Mmmggglbl!"**

**My chest hurt. I hadn't been under long, but I was panicking. Of course I was - I was a kid who barely knew what death was, and now here I was trapped underwater with no-one around to help me.**

**I was going nuts now. I clawed at the seaweed, but I wasn't even able to make out the seaweed holding me down. My chest was about to explode.**

_**Help me! Someone! Anyone!**_

**The lake was empty. I was dying, and no-one even knew it.**

**"G-glagglb!"**

**My hands clutched my throat suddenly, as my lungs decided they weren't going to take any more of this. The little air I had forced itself out in a few violent, panicked gurgles. I was light headed, and the world started to fade. Maybe this was it...if I just passed out here, then maybe this wasn't such a bad way to die.**

**Then my body decided to breathe in against my will.**

**It hurt in ways I never even thought possible. It felt like someone had set off a bomb inside my chest. I started flailing madly, not even thinking anymore, totally overwhelmed by that pain.**

**Every breath my body made me take brought in more water and more pain. I was vaguely aware that this was all my fault - I'd been the idiot who jumped into a lake unsupervised and got herself trapped. All of this was because I was an idiot.**

_**Ah...it's getting dark...**_

**My brain shut down. It was a welcome escape, as I stopped trying to make an escape and just let my body go limp. For a moment, I thought there was something in the distance...someone, coming closer. But it was probably just my mind playing tricks as it suffocated.**

**My eyes closed. My breathing stopped. And only a few minutes later, my heart stopped as well.**

* * *

><p><strong>The next thing I remember was three hours later, waking up in a hospital bed. It was hard to breathe - there was a doctor next to me, spouting out long words like resuscitation and cardiac arrest. I wasn't really paying attention to him.<strong>

**I was busy being hugged by Onee-chan, who'd been waiting at my side ever since I'd been checked in.**

**"Koishi...oh, Koishi!"**

**I only found out later that her class had finished just after I went off on my little expedition. She couldn't find me, saw my things lying next to the lakeside, and put two and two together. By the time she found me, though, I'd already passed out, and she had to lift my limp body to the surface after tearing the seaweed off my leg with her bare hands.**

**"I...I thought I lost you...Koishi, I was so worried..."**

**Onee-chan could barely speak then, she was struggling that hard against the tears. I noticed something a little weird then - I always remembered her having light brown hair, but all of a sudden it was a light shade of pink. I recall asking her about it later, and her not having a clue what I was talking about - but everyone could see that my hair was pure silver now.**

**While my sister was holding me tightly and crying into my chest, I realised that if she hadn't shown up and saved me, I would have drowned for sure in that lake. I'd be dead. I'd be nothing.**

**Without Onee-chan, I would be nothing.**

**Without Onee-chan, I wouldn't exist.**

**Without Onee-chan, I would be worthless...**

* * *

><p>Koishi came back into the present, well aware that her face was streaming with tears.<p>

"Don't you get it? I can't stand on my own. If I go off and do my own thing now I'll probably get myself into another situation like that, and this time Onee-chan won't be around to save me."

The air in the room felt heavier than rock. Orin couldn't bring herself to raise her head up, and even Okuu was well aware that the atmosphere in the room was sullen.

"Onee-chan went to a lot of effort to save me. I can't throw that life away trying to be a hero. I...I can't do it."

Orin's head was spinning. There were a thousand things she wanted to say at once - she wanted to apologise from bringing those memories back up, she wanted to make a joke to lighten the mood, she wanted to walk out and tell Sango to get lost, she wanted to just break down into tears right in front of Koishi.

But one emotion was welling up above all of those. It was the emotion a mother felt when they heard their child say they were going to do something incredibly irresponsible, the feeling someone got when kind words went out the window.

Orin disregarded her former fears about upsetting her master. These were harsh words, but they had to be said.

"Look, I know I'm not the person who you want saying this, but Satori-sama isn't here so I'm gonna have to do it for her."

Okuu watched as her friend got to her feet, anger starting to flare up in her eyes.

"You think this is what she wanted you to be like? Lying in bed moaning about how terrible you are? Honestly, sometimes I'm glad that Satori-sama isn't around, because if she saw the state you've managed to get yourself into it'd just about break her heart!"

Orin pulled the covers off the bed, revealing the cowering Koishi underneath. She looked up at her own pet with frightened eyes.

"Yes, maybe this is gonna be dangerous. Yes, maybe if you screw up you're going to die. But tell me something - just what kind of life are you living right now? You let people walk over you all day and spend all night lying in bed and doing nothing. This is your chance to go out there and do something! This is your opening to go out there and live your freaking life! And if you don't make something of it, I'll...I'll scratch at your bed at night when you're trying to sleep! I'll follow you into school and refuse to leave you alone! I'll stare at you when you go to the bathroom! I'll...nyaaaaah!"

Her anger boiled over, and Orin slumped onto the floor. She couldn't find words to express her emotions any more, and she finally settled for resting her head on Koishi's lap. She'd said some horrible things, things she couldn't take back, things she regretted, and she felt lousy for having shot her mouth.

"Unyuu..."

Okuu groaned nearby. This was all going too quickly for her to follow now, and she just had to sit back and watch things unfold. The cat continued to squirm around, waiting for some sort of response from her master.

She finally received another stroke behind her ears, and the stress in her body melted away.

"Okuu."

"Ah?"

Koishi's face had shifted, and she seemed more serene as she sat back up. Maybe Orin's rant had managed to get through that thick skull of hers. She still looked nervous, but she took a deep breath and managed to get the words out.

"...Call in Sango. I want to agree to this now before I chicken out again."

* * *

><p>Honestly, the dolphin wasn't very hopeful for Koishi's chances - with denial that strong, it would likely take a miracle to get her to cooperate. She expected to have the Teardrop thrown violently at her the instant she entered the room as Koishi yelled at her to get out of the house.<p>

Instead, she walked in to see Koishi sitting upright in bed, looking a lot braver that she did before. It was a look that didn't come to her naturally, but she was clearly doing her best to act strong.

It needed some work, but it was a good start.

"Sango, can I make one request?"

She liked the sound of that. Koishi's voice had some strength behind it this time. Sango grinned.

"Shoot. Your wish is my command."

"I don't want to kill anyone. If we have to fight someone, knock them out, run away, whatever, just don't kill them. I...don't think I can do that."

To be honest, Sango had been ready for an answer like that. She'd never put Koishi down as the sort who'd kill.

She just hoped that circumstance wouldn't force her to dirty her hands.

"Alright, then. I'm not gonna be a slave driver, so you can take tonight to rest. You just made it through a long day, so I figure you deserve it."

Sango made to leave the room. She'd borrow the couch for now - she didn't really need sleep as much as humans did, so she'd survive.

"One question, though - what made you change your mind?"

Koishi looked to Orin with a small smile.

"...I guess an old friend told me something I needed to hear."


	4. Acclimation

Morning.

There hadn't even been a nightmare this time. No dreams about Satori, nothing about that day at the lake, nothing. She'd changed - it was small, but noticable. There was a little spring in her step as she rose to her feet, pulling open the curtains and getting ready for another day in Gensouto.

For a moment, she wondered if the entire experience from yesterday had been a dream, some sort of unconscious order to pull her life together. The sight of the eye dangling from her chest served to kill off that theory quickly enough. She ran a finger down one of the tendrils, feeling it as if she was stroking at her own arm. Its form disturbed her for a moment, but she'd had the whole evening to get used to the concept.

Orin - if she wanted to be called that, Koishi would comply - stroked up alongside her leg, looking a lot more relaxed now than she usually did. She noticed the slight boost in Koishi's mood, and it seemed to relax her.

"Alright, you two, eat up. A little extra today won't hurt, right?"

To be honest, it wasn't as harmless as she wanted to admit. There was always enough trouble when it came to paying off rent and all, and things were just barely hanging together with what she had. After the incident, she'd always looked a little off-kilter, and her family had been more than keen to act like she'd passed on. When Satori wanted to move into her own residence and take Koishi with her, there were no complaints.

Her mother had died in childbirth, and her father had only passed away recently. Most of the inheritance went to Satori, the 'capable' daughter as their parents put it, and indeed she was sensible enough with her spendings to keep them afloat. Honestly, Koishi hadn't been that heartbroken by her father's death - she had never been particularly attached to him, instead finding solace in her sister whenever it was needed.

Now that Satori was gone, though, the budget she had to work with was much shorter. It was an effort to pay the rent and keep the pets at the same time, but she knew that it would have broken Satori's heart to see them kicked out, so she looked after them regardless. She'd figure out a way around it. A part-time job, maybe. She could do with some time out of the house.

"Ah, yeah. The dolphin's waiting for me, isn't she?"

The dolphin girl - Sango, had she said her name was? She'd apparently taken the couch to sleep on last night. Curious, Koishi poked her head into the living room to check up on the girl, only to find that the room was empty. Her brow furrowed. Sango had definitely been here last night, or she'd never have noticed this eye on her chest. Where else could she be?

"...Huh. Maybe she's on a morning patrol?"

That made sense. If she was a member of some super-secret agency, it made sense for her to be hyper-competent at what she did. Mere mortals like Koishi only woke up at sensible hours in the morning. She decided to wash her face and take on the day with all the determination she could muster.

The door was ajar as she approached it, Koishi noticed. Strange. She never left doors open. She bit her lip, slightly unnerved by this.

The thought hung in her head until it was entirely overwritten by the sight of a dolphin floating in her bathtub.

"Wha-!"

Koishi jolted back for a moment. Even after last night's incident, she apparently hadn't managed to get fully acclimated to all the madness yet. In her defense, a dolphin in the bathroom was something no sane person should ever need to become used to.

_...Sango-san?_

The dolphin didn't seem to notice her. In fact, it didn't seem to be responding at all. Its face was submerged in the water, but she could see its blowhole occasionally letting out little bursts of air. It was breathing, that was for sure.

_Is she...asleep?_

Only one way to find out, Koishi decided. She tiptoed over to the bathtub, towards the slumbering sea mammal. She reached out with a single finger, dipping it into the cold water.

She poked the creature in the side.

The change happened too fast for Koishi's eyes to properly make out. By the time she had finished blinking, there was no longer a dolphin in the bath - now a young girl was pulling her head out of the water, mumbling to herself.

"Initiate Sango Tororetsu, reporting for duty! Service with a smile, or your money back!"

Koishi couldn't find words for her emotions at that moment in time. If there was anything that would make her feel comfortable dealing with a mission to save the world, it was knowing that her bodyguard was competent and reliable.

Sango did not appear to be either of these. Not when she woke up later than the person she was ordered to protect, and especially not when she had to be woken up by them.

"...Uh. Oh, yeah, morning, Koishi-san. Sorry, the couch was too hard to sleep on - couldn't find anywhere comfy to put my fin. You were asleep by then, so..."

She slapped herself in the face to wake herself up properly, before nonchalantly stepping out of the bathtub. Her hair was soaking wet, leaving tiny droplets on Koishi's carpet. They seemed cleaner for it, though, so she paid it no mind.

Maybe she was distracted by the fact that Sango didn't seem to be wearing anything.

"...Please put some clothes on."

"Huh? Oh yeah, you guys get all touchy-feely over being naked, don't you-"

"NOW."

* * *

><p>She eventually goaded Sango into getting changed, mainly on the principle that if she wanted to blend in being caught streaking was not a good idea. That, and the dolphin fin was a good giveaway that something was wrong.<p>

Sango insisted on wearing the same clothes she'd worn the day before, a fact that concerned Koishi until she inspected the clothes in question. They were immaculate, as if they'd never been worn before, but they'd simply been left on the radiator overnight.

Sometimes magic seemed to be horribly mundane.

Koishi convinced Sango to wear a jacket over her normal shirt, for the sole purpose of covering up the fin on her back. The dolphin groaned, but finally accepted the burden as part of her duty.

"So, what did I walk in on? You were a dolphin, and then..."

"Yeah, animals can switch between forms at will. We can either look like the animal that most people would recognise, or we take on a more humanoid form for the sake of cross-species conversation and blending in. We call this our youkai form, and obviously we do our best not to show it to humans."

"I was meaning to ask - aren't youkai all those monsters from folklore?"

Sango shrugged.

"Hey, we make mistakes now and then, right? Every legend has a speck of truth in it and all that crap."

Koishi looked back into her room, towards her pets. It made a lot of sense for them to stay like that at feeding time - probably made the food a bit more filling.

"So, I need to head to school. Sorry, I can't take you with me on this one."

She tried not to let the nerves slip into her voice too much as she spoke. Honestly, going back to school still scared her a little - Cirno would be looking out for her, like she always did, and Sango could hardly walk into school unannounced.

"Ah, before you do that..."

Sango ran off into Koishi's room, pulling out the orange jewel from yesterday and also taking something else out of her pocket.

"Keep the Teardrop safe. Also, you're probably gonna need these."

She handed Koishi a pair of glasses. Koishi seemed confused by the gesture, examining them carefully and seeing nothing particularly strange about them.

"Trust me, you'll understand when you head out there."

That really wasn't much help, honestly, but Koishi didn't have time to worry about it. She was probably running late as it was, and if she wanted to try and make a change she was going to have to pick up on her punctuality. A quick peek into Scarlet Bakery for some breakfast, then a good jog across Gensouto to make it in on time. The usual, just with a little more zest than she typically approached it with.

"Alright, see you guys later!"

"Nyaa!"

"Unyu!"

"Look both ways before you cross the street!"

Koishi stared blankly at Sango from the doorway in response to that one, eventually closing the door with an awkward expression. Sango looked up, confused.

"What? That's what they told me when I took the job..."

At Sango's feet, a cat looked up and sighed to itself.

"Anyway, I'd better get ready, too. Can't be late on day one, can I?"

* * *

><p>The world seemed a little brighter as she stepped out into it today. Maybe it was because she was looking at it with a little more enthusiasm, or maybe yesterday's experiences had made her see something in the world she didn't see beforehand. Either way, Koishi felt happier being among the living now than she did 24 hours ago, and she made her way over to the Scarlet Bakery with a hint of cheeriness.<p>

It was a small shop, a local one. The owners were foreigners, and thanks to good old xenophobia the shop had never quite gained the reputation it deserved. Koishi would attest that its pastries and sandwiches were delicious, and the prices they were sold for would make the high street weep if they ever reached the public eye. For now, though, she considered it her little secret. She strolled into the shop with a smile for the first time in months.

"Morning!"

"Ah, Koishi-chan! You're looking awfully chirpy today."

Koishi reached down for her purse, looking for the change before even making her purchase. It was the same sandwich she always bought, but she decided that today she'd spoil herself and get a drink to go with it as well.

"Thank you...it's Meiling-san, right?"

"Ah, yes, Hong Meiling. You remembered! That's more than some people in this place can do. Isn't that right, Sakuya?"

The attendant yelled something into the kitchens behind her. There was no response for a moment, until eventually a voice rose up from inside with a tone of absolute calm.

"Just do your job, China."

Meiling flinched visibly at the sight of that one. They seemed to have this sort of relationship, though Koishi had never met this Sakuya in person. She always hung back in the kitchens, and never seemed to step out to do her job. When she finished cooking, her dishes would appear in a stall to the side, but Koishi never managed to catch her putting them there no matter how hard she tried.

"Anyway. You'll be having the usual, I assume?"

"Yeah, and I think I'm gonna have a carton of orange juice to go with that as well."

She didn't know why the colour orange was on her mind. Maybe that Teardrop had done more to her than she thought. She continued to scour through the purse, not looking up until she had the money to offer. She heard Meiling rummaging through the sandwiches that were freshly made, pulling out Koishi's normal order and placing it in front of her along with a carton of juice.

"There ya go. 150 Yen, if you please."

Koishi nodded, counting the coins one last time as she finally raised her head.

"Here. Thank y-"

Koishi's words caught in her throat. The coins dropped out of her hand onto the counter as her body froze. Meiling tilted her head, confused.

"Hm? What's wrong, Koishi-chan?"

The woman looking back at her wasn't the Meiling who had run the counter before. That Meiling had dull brown hair, not the radiant red locks currently running down her back. There was a faint aura stemming off of her, a green field that flowed in and out around her body. She was glowing, ever so slightly...

"Helloooo? Koishi-chan, are you alright?"

Koishi snapped out of it, pulling herself away. Too early in the morning, maybe. The sun was in her eyes and she was seeing things.

"N-Nothing. Sorry. Thanks."

"OK, if you're sure you're fine. Come again!"

Koishi took her meal and literally ran out the door. Meiling was left watching her go, staring awkwardly at the swinging door left in her wake.

"...Is there something on my face?"

* * *

><p>The journey to school did nothing to relieve Koishi of her panic. Everything around her looked different, looked strange, looked wrong. People looked at her awkwardly, flaunting their silly hair and threatening auras and not seeming aware of it at all. She was sure a few of the people she passed had wings, little fluttering ones like a fairy's, but none of them ever bothered to fly. The world around her had changed dramatically, but it seemed totally unaware that anything was wrong.<p>

Sango had mentioned this before, hadn't she? That this was the 'real' world, and the world she'd thought was real was a lie. Even so, seeing it - all this colour, all this change - was a bit too much for her to take in. Maybe in a few days after she'd wrapped her head around this, but she wasn't ready for it right now.

Unconsciously, her hand fell to her pocket and gripped at the glasses Sango had given her earlier. They still looked thoroughly unimpressive, but Sango must have been referring to this when she said Koishi would need them. Koishi pulled them on in a hurry, wondering for a moment what she actually looked like in glasses.

The world around retreated into the realms of sanity. The blue and pink hues of hair in the crowd disappeared, returning to the familiar dull shades of brown and black. No wings, no auras; just backpacks and iffy smells.

Koishi breathed a sigh of relief. The world was normal again - or at least, the normal that she was familiar with. She finished the walk to school, no longer worrying about what sort of magical creatures stood between her and her next class. Now she could focus on the real problem - getting in without Cirno catching her.

The back door seemed her safest bet - Cirno would usually hang around the front to pick on kids who were running late. Even if she was earlier than usual, she didn't imagine Cirno would bother to move between both outposts, and went around the back entrance. It was a shady place, with smokers and delinquents sitting around doing nothing in particular, but a quick step and a bowed head got her through without any incidents.

Her plan was an overwhelming success, and Koishi victoriously collapsed on her desk. Even if all she could say was that she hadn't been picked on before first period, it was a little achievement that she hadn't managed yesterday. Now, for a change, she had time to get ready before class began.

First up today was math. Normally that'd be enough to depress Koishi for the rest of the day, but this time around she was willing to try and put a positive spin on it - she was getting the worst subject out of the way now, so she wouldn't have to worry about it later. And there was always Professor Kawashiro to poke fun at: the only woman Koishi knew who could add 2 and 2 to make 5 on a regular basis.

The register was taken. Names were checked. The registration teacher seemed thoroughly surprised when Koishi declared herself present, but he shrugged once and continued the list. When he got to the end, everyone made to sit down again, but he cleared his throat to signify he had another announcement to make.

"Now, everyone, I know it's an unusual time for it, but we have a new transfer student joining the class today."

The class erupted into a wave of oohs and aahs. Koishi raised an eyebrow - the timing of this was a little too convenient for her liking. There was a good chance this girl could be another of these youkai spies, and as the teacher opened the door she glared towards the newcomer with caution.

She slammed her head into her desk the moment she saw the jacket the girl was wearing.

"Everyone, this is Sango Tororetsu. I'd appreciate it if you made her feel welcome here."

Sango offered a wave to the class, watching carefully so that the hood of her jacket didn't come down. She would have given Koishi a wink, but Koishi was too busy making dents in her desk to make eye contact.

_How did she...what the...how...?_

It would probably be easier not to think about it for now. So she didn't.

"Now, Sango-san, you'll need a seat. You can sit...there, in the back, next to Koishi-san."

Sango nodded, bowing to the teacher in a particularly stilted manner. She must have had to practice this sort of etiquette beforehand, given that it wasn't common outside of human society. For a moment, the teacher's eyes widened as he caught a glimpse of something grey under the hood, but thankfully he turned away to finish his paperwork before his curiosity got the better of him.

Sango took her seat next to Koishi, and immediately slid her desk over to her friend's side. She made an O with her thumb and finger, in what she expected Koishi to recognise as the divers' OK signal. Koishi just blinked at her.

_"Sorry about that. Had to get the boss to set some stuff up. Can't leave you alone surrounded by potential Siren candidates, after all."_

The words jumped into Koishi's head, but she noticed that Sango's mouth wasn't moving along with them. She vaguely remembered the first time she'd heard Sango speak, back when she was a dolphin.

_...You're telepathic?_

_"Other way around, dummy. You're the telepath. What, you think that eye on your chest was just for show?"_

Koishi blinked, doing her best not to let her surprise shift onto her face. She'd always had a strange affinity with animals, hadn't she? It was strange knowing that all those little mysteries she'd always wondered about had an explanation behind them after all. Granted, the explanation was probably stranger still, but that wasn't the point.

_"Still, good to see you stayed sane. Guess you know what the glasses are for now?"_

Koishi nodded. Needless to say, she was going to keep hold of these whenever circumstances allowed - that trip had just been too unusual for her.

_"Heh, Gensouto's a strange place when you see it for real. I honestly think you guys named your city wrong sometimes."_

Sango grinned. There was a look of experience on her face, meaning that whatever she was about to say had probably taken a lot of time to come up with. She pulled out a piece of paper and started scribbling on it, eventually producing 元想都, or Gensouto.

_"You write it like this, right? The city where ideas are born, or something fancy like that. Well, honestly, you got it pretty damn wrong there. This whole place is a facade, an illusion, a little whirlpool of magic no-one notices. You shoulda just called it this, really..."_

She took the piece of paper and rubbed out the first two kanji, replacing them to make the name read as 幻想都. It still read as Gensouto, but the meaning had changed entirely - now it simply meant the city of illusion.

Koishi offered her friend a quiet round of applause at that one.

_How long did it take you to come up with that one?_

_"Pretty much all of last night. Still worth it."_

The bell rang for first period as Sango finished up her word play. Professor Kawashiro entered as the registration teacher left, carrying a pile of papers onto her desk. Koishi bit her lip - she'd forgotten that the professor was fond of random pop quizzes.

"Alright, people, you know the drill. Take one, hand them down, don't start until I tell you to. You get half an hour, and anyone who scores over 95 gets a cookie."

Koishi saw Sango's eyes light up at the sound of that, as she eagerly grabbed at her piece of paper. Koishi frowned - even if she hadn't been good at math, at least she'd attended the class. Sango, though, had probably never even heard of calculus, let alone studied it.

The handing out of tests came to an end. Professor Kawashiro pulled out a stopwatch, a look of overpassionate excitement entering her eyes.

"Ready...go!"

Two dozen students opened their test papers at once. Koishi saw Sango open hers with utter confidence, and frowned.

_Sango-san, you don't expect to score a 95, do you? Have you even studied math before?_

Sango looked over to Koishi, offended.

_"Hey! I'll have you know that dolphins are highly intelligent! I can pass your silly human tests no problem!"_

The dolphin looked back at her test, examining the paper. Her face looked serious as she read the questions over.

Seven seconds passed. Koishi knew as much, because she sat and counted to see how long it would take.

_"Hey, what's the answer to question 1?"_

Koishi raised her hand.

"Kawashiro-sensei, I don't feel well. Can I go home, please?"


	5. Skirmish

Koishi wasn't completely merciless. She gave Sango enough help to at least fail honourably, but their sheets looked nowhere near similar. Sango was left to guess the answers to the remaining questions. Koishi never saw these answers, but she saw Professor Kawashiro raise a disturbed eyebrow when she made it to Sango's question paper. Maybe it was better not to ask.

Koishi scraped a pass, as usual, but today was something unusual in that she was disappointed in that result. Before, a 60 was a sign that she'd escaped the dreaded failing grade, but now she started to reminisce over the days when she had scored 80s or 90s on tests like these. She knew she could do it, she just had to put the time in like she used to.

Sango was less fortunate as she got her paper back.

"Hey, what do all these crosses next to my answers mean?"

She spoke out loud now, since no-one could hear her other than Koishi over the hubbub of gossip that had erupted. There was almost more red ink on her paper than there was black, with various comments along the lines of 'I have no idea what you were trying to do here'. The number 42 was jotted in the corner in a rush, as if the professor was tired with this paper and decided to just give the result as quickly as she could before moving onto a less hopeless student.

"Wait...you scored a 60, right? And I have 42...so does that mean that if we work together, we each get half a cookie?"

The hope in Sango's eyes as she asked the question nearly broke Koishi's heart. She reached out and gave her dolphin companion a pat on the head, trying to break it to her in the lightest way possible.

"Hit the books."

She failed.

"Aww..."

* * *

><p>Sango didn't do much better in the rest of the curriculum. She earned the wrath of the religious studies teacher when she asked if a Buddhist was a dessert, and when the geography teacher asked her to name the largest mountain in Japan she offered the answer 'the hill on the way to school'. Lunch went badly when she asked for fresh mackerel, and her grasp of chemistry verged on the non-existent. There were several people who wondered if she was some sort of ruffian raised by wolves and finally returning to normal society.<p>

The sad part was that they weren't far off.

As a consolation, her knowledge of hydraulics and fluid dynamics managed to salvage her some respect. Her reputation around the class jumped from 'clueless moron' to 'idiot savant'. A personal victory, perhaps, but Koishi didn't bother mentioning that both of those subjects were too advanced to actually appear on the curriculum.

Which brought them to the last period of the day. Koishi matter of factly pointed out that they were due for swimming lessons, and she could see the look of glee in Sango's eyes right afterward.

"Swimming? Alright, that's awesome! Maybe I'm not so good at all that other stuff, but in the water there's no way anyone's gonna beat me! C'mon, Koishi-san, let's go!"

She made a dash for the pool, wondering if she would get one of those weird blue swimsuits that all the middle-schoolers wore when they took trips to the beach. Either way, it was going to be totally awesome-

"Ah."

Koishi had grabbed her by the hood, stopping Sango in her tracks. She used a few fingers to rub along the fin down Sango's back.

_Yeah, wearing a school swimsuit is going to be a giveaway. I've already called in sick for both of us, so let's just go home._

Sango looked off towards the pool in the distance, then back to Koishi, then back to the pool. Her heart sank like a rock, and once again Koishi could make out the disappointment in her eyes.

_"But, but I...I'd look so cool, and...stupid, stupid fin."_

Sango pouted childishly as she pulled her hood back up, clearly mad that she hadn't had a chance to show off how well she could perform in her element. She walked alongside Koishi as they made for the exit, letting her friend go through the usual effort of checking for passing teachers.

_But I don't get it, Sango-san. Why did you need to follow me anyway? Surely a school is the last place I'm going to get attacked._

_"It's not that simple. Like I said, the Black Claw's gonna recruit anyone they see around here who they think has merit, and show them their power the same way I showed you yours. Everyone here's a potential enemy, and when magic is involved crowds don't matter."_

Koishi's head tilted. Sango sighed - maybe she wasn't very good at this whole school thing, but when it came to magic Koishi was more or less on the same level.

_"OK, so there are a bunch of ways you can fight with magic. You can just run around and blow things up in public, but that usually attracts too much attention. If you wanna take someone out quietly, there's a common spell you can cast to get you and someone else outta the crowd. All you have to do is touch them, and suddenly you're in a whole separate dimension where you can do as much ass-kicking as you want. It's pretty much instant, too - one moment you're there, and the next you aren't."_

Koishi realised the conclusion Sango was trying to lead up to.

_You mean...crowds are the best place for them to attack?_

Only now did she realise that Sango had been holding her hand almost all day, all the time they'd been moving between classes. The dolphin nodded.

_"Bingo. No-one's gonna miss one or two people in a crowded room, right? So you've gotta be careful all the time."_

That was a little unnerving, she had to admit. Koishi bit her lip as she caught glances at some of the kids hanging around in the corridors - none of them looked particularly keen on the sight of her, and if someone were to offer them fortunes for taking her out they probably wouldn't think twice.

_"But hey, it works both ways. If they can recruit people, so can we. We just want to keep our numbers as small as possible, so we keep our recruitment down to the Sirens when we can."_

_And how do you find the Sirens, anyway? Do you need to wait until after they've made this big wish of theirs?_

Sango turned around at that one. The cocky grin again, which inevitably meant she had something she wanted to show off. She coughed a little, suddenly wrapping her arm around Koishi's shoulder.

"Man, I can't wait to go home, phwee~"

The phwee sound at the end sounded like some sort of verbal tic, but as she said it Koishi noticed her ears wriggling ever so slightly. She closed her eyes for a moment, standing in place.

Then, with a single motion, she reached down to Koishi's far pocket.

"Hey, what are you-"

Sango grabbed at something inside, grinning like an idiot.

_"Putting the Teardrop in your pocket? You're begging to get robbed, Koishi-san."_

Sure enough, her hand had clasped itself around Koishi's Teardrop. She'd never mentioned where she'd hidden it, but without so much as asking Sango had found it.

_...How'd you do that?_

_"Just a little trick I picked up with the White Pearl. It's like sonar, but with you Sirens and your Teardrops. Needs a little work, though - I'm not very good at picking up Sirens who haven't awakened yet, but I can tell there's no-one else around here who has a Teardrop."_

Koishi's eyes widened. Sonar? As in that thing with sound bouncing around? So that was what the phwee sound was for.

"Wait. Does that mean..."

Sango looked back, puzzled.

"Mean what, phwee?"

Her ears wriggled again. They must have been listening out for any magical feedback or whatever it was they were picking up.

"That you're going to be saying that all the time...?"

Sango shrugged.

"Better safe than sorry, phwee." _"And besides, it's only for school, right?"_

Koishi grit her teeth.

"But...it's kinda annoying."

"Hey, I think it's sort of cute, phwee. You'll learn to like it!"

Sango wrapped her arm tighter around Koishi's shoulder, leading her out towards the exit.

_Or better yet,_ Koishi thought to herself, _I'll learn to ignore it._

* * *

><p>Another long walk home, though it had been a while since she'd taken this trip with a companion. There was a nice view of Gensouto from up here as the sun started to set in the distance, and Koishi and Sango got to enjoy the trip alone thanks to leaving earlier than they were supposed to.<p>

It had been a lot to take in for Koishi. The last 24 hours seemed to have consisted of nothing but madness, to the point where Sango had needed to sit down and explain things to her for ages on end so that she could keep up. She only hoped that she'd just about wrapped her head around this whole magical business by now, and she could focus on actually doing this scouting out tomorrow.

But besides that, something else about her seemed different. She hadn't noticed it until now, but all these antics with Sango had brought on something that she didn't recognise.

"Sango-san, can I ask you something?"

Sango looked back, puzzled.

"What, is there something I forgot to tell you?"

She'd dropped the phwee now that they were outside. What a relief.

"Uh...this is going to sound weird, but am I smiling?"

Sango looked blankly at Koishi in response to the question, puzzled.

"Well, yeah. You look like you're pretty happy. Why do you ask?"

So that's what the feeling was. Her chest felt a little warmer than it had before, like her heart was slowly coming back to life. It was a strange feeling, but she liked it.

"It's nothing. Just...never mi-"

"But I don't wanna do this any more!"

Koishi was forced out of her little nostalgia trip as a whine filled the air. They were passing the coast by now, walking alongside the beach on the way back home.

Which meant the shrine was nearby.

"Look, you know how hard I had to beg my dad for this money? We're doing it, and we're gonna wish for a million wishes, just like we planned!"

It was the duo from earlier, the big Fairy and her librarian friend. Now Koishi could see them standing on the other end of the pier, the Fairy holding a 1000 Yen bill over the shrine's donation box.

Both Sango and Koishi looked on in worry. They were out of earshot, and the only reason they overheard the conversation was because the pair had resorted to shouting.

"Sango-san. Are either of them..."

"Lemme check, phwee."

Sango pressed two fingers into her temple, focusing harder than usual this time as she read the sonar. After a few seconds, she shook her head.

"Nope. They're just two ordinary girls. Well, as ordinary as you get in Gensouto, anyway."

Koishi sighed with relief.

"Ah, that's good. So that means they're in no da-"

"No. The two of them are in deep, deep trouble."

* * *

><p>"Huh? But San-"<p>

Sango reached out and put a hand over Koishi's mouth as the pair crouched behind a nearby set of bushes.

"Be quiet. We can't have them hear us, remember?"

Koishi's immediate panic faded, and Sango pulled her hand away. Now, though, there was a sick feeling in her stomach as she watched the pair argue some more.

"...But why are they in trouble? They don't have Teardrops, do they? They're just a pair of kids following up on a stupid highschool rumour."

"Where do you think all these rumours come from, Koishi-san? Do you think that rumours that would just so happen to reveal a Siren just get made up by a bunch of bored highschoolers?"

Koishi's blood froze in her veins.

"Y-You mean..."

Sango nodded.

"Yeah. The Black Claw set that rumour up to lure people in. And I get the feeling they won't be too pleased if a pair of kids start spreading around that it didn't work..."

The argument at the shrine reached its peak. By now the Fairy had grabbed her friend by the shoulder to keep her in place as the note fluttered over the donation box.

"Look, you've got nothing to lose from this! It's my money, so let's just do this already!"

"But it's scary! What if it's one of those spirits that takes your wish and turns it into something horrible? What if we wish for a million wishes, but then we have to sit and say all of them in a row without breathing or something crazy like that?"

"Oh, come on, Koa. Now you're just being paranoid! Personally, if Cirno taught me anything, it's that who dares wins. So even if it is some sorta genie like that, I'll figure out a way to beat him!"

This was not going to end well. By now the Fairy was holding the note over the box with only two fingers, and she was ready to let go any second now. Koishi took off her glasses at last, so that if anything were to attack the pair she'd be able to see it.

It disturbed her slightly how calm she was with seeing the two transform in front of her eyes; the first girl was now a literal fairy, with bright green hair and a pair of fluttering wings behind her back, while her companion looked like a lesser demon with dark red hair and two black wings poking out of the sides of her head. This had almost no effect on Koishi - she'd seen her fair share of strange colour choices today, and then some.

"Wait for it..."

Sango reached down to her waist, and Koishi noticed that there were a pair of vials that she hadn't seen before. One of them was filled with what looked like simple water, and the other was filled with salt. She looked ready to pull one out at any moment as she waited for the situation to come to a head.

She didn't have to wait long.

"Alright, whatever spirit lives in this thing. Gimme a million wishes, or else!"

The note began to fall through the air.

"NOW!"

Sango yelled as she bolted out from behind cover. Koishi followed closely behind, charging down the pier in quick succession.

The two girls at the pier had just enough time to turn around in confusion. Koishi could make out the fairy's lips shaping a word that Koishi wasn't supposed to say in front of children.

By then, Sango had swept at them with one of the vials, sending salt flying through the air. They gasped on reflex, unintentionally inhaling it and letting off coughs.

"Ack, ack! What the hell do you think you're-"

The fairy started out on an angry retort, but the last word of her sentence never emerged. Her eyes suddenly turned blank, and she fell backwards without resistance onto the pier. Her friend didn't even let out a cry of shock before she collapsed.

Sango placed the vial of salt back on the belt around her waist. Koishi looked down at the two fallen bodies, immediately thinking the worst.

"Relax, they're not dead. It's sleeping salt."

Sure enough, the two girls let off a light snoring a few seconds later. Fortunately, by now Koishi's concept of reality was so far gone that this didn't surprise her too much.

"They'll wake up in an hour or so with no idea what just happened. More importantly..."

Sango walked over to the edge of the pier. A trio of shadows were rising up from beneath the water. Koishi could tell what they were from that alone: they were the fishmen, the ones that had tried to kill her the day before.

"Alright, Koishi-san. Looks like it's go-time."

Koishi nodded at Sango's call. She took Sango's hand, holding the Teardrop aloft with the other. She squeezed it in her hand, and it let off its beautiful orange light. The pair stepped into the water in unison, making a quiet splash before disappearing into the water below. It took Koishi a moment to stir up the courage to speak underwater, but the words from before rose up out of her heart.

"Wherever evil forces be,  
>On the land or in the sea,<br>All who sin should cower and flee  
>From Dolphin Rider Koishi!"<p>

Once again, Koishi was engulfed by the Teardrop's light, feeling herself transform under its power. Her clothes fell away, and were replaced with the same absurd design she had found herself wearing the day before.

"Halt, villains! I, Dolphin Rider Koishi, have emerged to put a stop to your evil deeds!"

She wondered how much of this was viable, and how much was simply the forces of magic having a twisted sense of humour. The swimsuit made sense, yes, and the trident was pretty cool, but was it all really necessary?

"In the name of the sea, prepare to be punished!"

...Well, maybe it was kind of cute, but-

_"Look out!"_

Unfortunately, now was a bad time to sit and analyse her magical girl outfit. Sango had taken on her dolphin form again and pushed her out of the way of an attack, the claws of the closest fishman slicing at the water where she'd been floating moments before. She was winded for a moment, but Koishi caught her breath and took her place on top of Sango soon afterward.

_"You okay?"_

"Y-Yeah...sorry, I got distracted there."

They'd made some distance between themselves and the fishmen. Technically, there was nothing they could do to stop them from rising to the surface and going for the two sleeping girls on the pier, but they had no reason to. Not when there was a genuine Teardrop right in front of them - oh, how the master would praise them if they could retrieve that Teardrop!

_"Alright, Koishi-san. These guys are small fry, honestly, so feel free to try out some new stuff now so you don't need to figure it out later. And don't go full power and knock yourself out again, you're really heavy to carry home."_

Koishi frowned at that one, bopping Sango lightly on the head. The dolphin let off a little 'phwee', granting Koishi a hint of catharsis.

"Alright, let's see here...what do I have to work with?"

She examined her clothing for anything else besides the trident that could act as a weapon, but all she could see were the gloves on her hands and the ribbon around her neck. She looked at the latter, poking at it with a finger.

"What's this thing for...?"

As she touched it, the ribbon came undone around her neck, beginning to glow with a bright white light. It wrapped itself around the trident in her hand, and it started to grow lighter in her grip as it became engulfed in the same white aura. The light faded a few seconds later, revealing that the trident had metamorphosed entirely.

"A whip?"

_"Koishi-san, just whip it at something! Don't worry about hitting anything with it! And hurry up!"_

The fishmen were coming closer now, moving in from three different directions and once. Koishi ran on adrenaline, lifting up the silver whip in her hand and lashing forward with it. Again the words flew out of her mouth without her thinking them.

**"Iruka Charge!"**

Sango blinked white for a moment, before the world around Koishi blew past her in an instant. Her dolphin mount was blown forward by a magical force, sending both of them flying through the water at breakneck speed. Sango shone with a bright red aura, ready to ram through anything that was unfortunate enough to get in her way.

The fishman Koishi has lashed out at had no chance to react. Sango slammed headlong into it, dispersing it into a few dozen fish before blowing past its two companions. By the time they'd turned around again, Koishi and Sango were well away from their enemies.

_"Not bad, and you're still conscious too-phwee!"_

They had time. She could afford to pound her mount on the head when it deserved it.

"OK, next...what do these gloves do?"

She examined them more intently, looking at the dolphin emblem imprinted on their backs. She pushed in the emblem on her left hand, and there was an audible click as it came to life. Her palm began to glow with a pale light, a ball of energy beginning to form in her hand.

"Is there any part of this costume that isn't some sort of weapon?"

_"Not really, but are you complaining?"_

Koishi raised her hand, pointing it at the remaining fishmen. The ball of energy continued to grow until it reached the size of her palm. It seemed she could charge it at will, or fire several weaker shots in the same length of time. Something to keep in mind, but right now it looked like it was as strong as it was going to get.

**"Iruka Shot!"**

The bullet flew from her palm straight forward towards the enemy, advancing without any care about petty things like gravity. This time one of the fishmen was aware enough to dodge the attack, not caring in the slightest as his partner took the attack to the face and was promptly engulfed by an explosion, dissipating into a school of sardines and fleeing.

Koishi decided not to think about how she could make things explode underwater, at least until this last enemy was defeated. She ran a hand along the whip, and it returned to its original trident form as the ribbon retied itself around her neck.

"Let's finish this! Sango-san, charge!"

Sango nodded, dashing towards the last enemy. Koishi readied her trident, prepared to slash through her enemy as she passed by. The fishman darted towards them, claws ready to fillet Koishi at a moments notice.

**"IRUKA SLASH!"**

The two foes passed, striking at once.

For an instant, neither moved.

Then the fishman let out a choked cry as three slashes ran across its chest, before he collapsed and fled in a dozen fishy forms.

Silence fell beneath the ocean, broken only by the churning sounds of the current.

See? I knew that you had potential. Trust your pal Sango once in a while, alright?

Koishi leaned on her trident as she took deep breaths to calm down. So much of that had been instinct, but she'd won convincingly against the enemies that had horrified her yesterday. True, she had Sango's help, but this was a big jump from the girl who almost died 24 hours ago.

"...Thank you."

Koishi tickled Sango beneath her chin as they made for the surface again.

_"No problem, it's my job. So, what're you gonna do now?"_

Koishi gripped her trident tightly, grinning.

"Well, I think I might accidentally tear that donation box into a few dozen pieces. So much for that silly rumour, huh?"

* * *

><p>"Curses!"<p>

She saw the battle remotely through the eyes of her minions, up until the final blow left the Siren victorious. She slammed a hand into her desk, cursing in a language no-one on the surface would have recognised.

Not only had she lost, but likely the Dophin Rider would damage the shrine to the point where her vantage point would be useless. It was by far the best position she had to strike, and she had lost it within a single day.

"...Perhaps I need to begin acting sooner than I had thought."

She paced around the room, mumbling to herself. There would be candidates, she knew - humans who would dirty their hands for the sake of material gain, humans who would be willing to settle their grudges fatally and finally. She would promise them all the riches of the mortal world in return for the head of Koishi Komeiji.

Not that she had any intention of fulfilling the bargain, but that was a problem to resolve another time.

"...Komeiji, hm...I have to say, it's a surprise. Perhaps Yakumo had a sense of humour after all."


	6. Plan

Sango insisted on pulling Koishi away for a celebration after they'd dried themselves off. Koishi tried desperately to put her off the idea - they'd only just started so there was no point in getting excited now, she had no idea where to go, and even going so far as saying that it was unfair on Orin and Okuu. The truth of the matter was that she was on the verge of being broke, and her idea of fine dining was 'non-instant noodles'.

Of course, all of her complaints were powerless considering that Sango had grabbed her by the arm and forcefully led her into town. This was when she regretted not taking a sports club after school - that extra strength would have come in handy around here.

Sango led Koishi through the streets of Gensouto, abruptly taking turns left and right. She turned back on her route and walked the same road over and over, apparently unaware that she was retracing her steps. Koishi quickly became aware that Sango was paying absolutely no attention to which direction she was taking, and her eyes were focused solely on the buildings around her. She knew her destination, she just didn't know how to get there.

"Here? No. Here? No..."

Sango's endurance was impressive - she'd spent five minutes running full pelt, and only now were the first signs of fatigue starting to show. Koishi, on the other hand, was getting breathless just following behind her. The crowds sliced open as the dolphin barged through, ignoring the other pedestrians with her attention firmly set on the goal.

Just before Koishi's body reached its limit, Sango finally came to an abrupt stop. She looked eagerly up at the building beside her, eager anticipation glimmering in her eyes. Koishi needed a moment to catch her breath and adjust her hat before she managed to look up at where she'd been hauled. The sign read in plain, bright letters, 'LORELEI'S - Best Fish Plates In Gensouto!'

In retrospect, Koishi really should have seen it coming.

For the sake of her blood pressure, Koishi decided not to look at the menu as Sango pushed her into the restaurant, almost forcing her into a chair. She had all the composure of a highly-caffeinated six year old, and bounced around in her chair as she called over the local waiter. He walked over to the pair nervously - maybe it was his first day on the job?

"Um...can I take your or-"

"Two servings of fresh haddock, please! The biggest helpings you've got!"

The waiter was taken aback by Sango's enthusiasm - not to Koishi's surprise - and wriggled a little in place as he jotted down notes.

"C-Certainly, ma'am! That'll be 1600 Yen!"

_1600? Where does she expect me to pull that sort of money from?_

Koishi carefully moved the cutlery out of the way so she didn't cause herself any damage when she slammed her head into the table. The rent was due soon, and she was already penny-pinching to keep herself afloat. This meal was going to be the end of her!

"1600? Uh, question. Do you give change?"

Sango seemed entirely unaware of Koishi's distress, reaching into a pouch on the side of her jacket. She pulled out a hefty looking purse, and from within removed a single 5,000 Yen note.

Koishi stared with awe at that note as if it were made of solid gold. The waiter seemed just as disturbed by its appearance.

"Y...Yes, I can accept that. I'll be back with your change when your meal is ready."

There was a notable redness on the waiter's face as he accepted the payment, running off to the kitchen to pass the order along. Sango stood out, shouting over the general hubbub to make sure she was heard.

"You can keep the 400, sir!"

The waiter stopped in his tracks at that. His face went bright scarlet, as he looked around to the table Koishi and Sango were sitting at. Was it his first tip? He looked distraught.

He proceeded to snap entirely, running at the table and slamming his hands into it. The impact was enough to knock Koishi around, shuffling her glasses out of place. She could make out a head of green hair now, and...were those antennae?

"I'm a girl, dammit! Why does everyone think I'm a guy?"

The room fell silent after that. The waiter - no, waitress - realised just what she had done, stood up quietly, and darted back to the kitchen without a sound.

The awkward atmosphere slowly faded away, much to the relief of everyone present. It took a few moments for things to grow loud enough that Koishi and Sango felt they could talk without being overheard. Only now did Koishi realise her eyes had been almost attached to Sango's purse, mentally counting the notes stored inside. There was thousands of yen in there, enough to pay the rent for the next ten years.

"...How did you...?"

Sango seemed confused by Koishi's reaction, taking a moment to realise what she was staring at.

"Oh, this? The Pearl gave me living expenses so that I didn't end up on the street. I wasn't going to make you pay, duh."

Koishi felt some portion of her sanity shatter irrevocably. The only thing stopping her from walking out right now was the fact that she was getting a free dinner out of this. She could use a change from noodles.

"OK, so now let's talk strategy. Tomorrow, we're gonna start hunting out Sirens in earnest, phwee."

A beat.

"No-one here. Should've guessed that would be too easy."

Koishi pouted. She'd seen enough of those magical girl shows to know that all the obvious, easy places to look would turn up absolutely nothing in these sorts of searches. Every rule of basic logic said otherwise, but magic and logic were antonyms.

"What sort of strategy are we talking about? Is there some sort of order when it comes to these Sirens?"

"Not really. It's a simple matter of the magic choosing seven girls at birth to become holders of the Teardrops. You can't really tell unless you search by brute force, but that's what we're looking to do."

Sango leaned over the table a little, placing her elbows on it for balance. Apparently she had never been filled in on human etiquette.

"So, you have any hobbies? Interests? Any clubs you could join? Me, I'm pretty flexible, but if you're up for joining the swimming club I'll be glad to-"

"We already said no swimming."

"Dammit. I hoped you'd forgotten."

Koishi took a moment to think the question over, not realising the serious trouble she was on the verge of running into. Had she done anything in these last few months? A single fun pastime, a sport she had an interest in beyond passing PE?

No. She didn't.

"Sorry, I'm afraid I'm drawing blank here."

Sango seemed surprised for a moment, then frowned.

"Koishi-san, that's no good. If we're going to have to find the Sirens, you're going to have to meet some people. And remember, if you actually find one, you need to try and get them to make their heartfelt wish so we can release the Teardrop! Just go to clubs your friends visit to start!"

"Ah, but...I don't really have any friends either."

Silence. The rest of the room dined peacefully, ignorant of the look on Sango's face.

"...You're kidding."

"No. Not really."

Koishi was growing more and more interested in her feet, bowing her head down in shame. After Satori had disappeared, she'd just plain stopped caring in a lot of ways, and she let go of every social commitment she had. The people she'd seen as friends drifted away from her, but she'd been too numb to care about it.

Now, though, Koishi had to wonder. Maybe it was time to take a step back into the fray. To try and rebuild the burnt bridges, and make herself some friends again.

But it would be difficult. She'd be starting from the bottom up, knowing pretty much no-one. It would be like she'd never even attended school, and she'd be inexperienced from the get-go. It was a monumental task, and she didn't have a clue where to start. In fact, she was already starting to have second thoughts about it.

Luckily, the feeling of Sango's hand jumping onto her shoulder pulled her out of that moment of self-doubt.

"Alright, Koishi-san. I've made my decision."

_When did you get the right to decide this?_

"If you're so indecisive about it, we'll just join the first club we hear about tomorrow. It's not like you've got anything to worry about with me around, right?"

"The first club? As in it could be anything? We could end up somewhere like the sewing club, or the haiku appreciation club?"

"...What's a haiku? Sounds like a nice topping to me."

Sango's hand was pressed down on her shoulder too violently now. It was clear that she wasn't going to be swayed from this line of thought no matter what sort of disturbing clubs Koishi threatened her with.

She was honestly a little jealous of Sango's zest, but she could hardly bring herself to disagree with someone who was so passionate. Besides, when it simply got cut down to the first step of joining a club, the challenge didn't look quite as daunting.

"...Okay. I'll do my best."

"That's my little hero right there!"

Sango reached over and gave Koishi a little pat on the back. The Siren blinked.

"Uh, Sango-san. As a warning, most people don't like it when you touch them in strange places."

"Eh?" Sango's face turned a deep red. "But you've got clothes on, haven't you? It's not like I'm touching your skin or anythi-"

"Just trust me on this one."

* * *

><p>"And y'know what we found? Nothing! The damn thing had fallen to pieces!"<p>

"Is that so? Well, you must have felt very silly, then."

"Hey, it was Koa's idea! I just went along with it because I felt sorry for her!"

The big Fairy from yesterday was spreading the story to anyone who would hear it, currently passing it on to a young girl who had strange habits with holding her arms out. Inevitably she'd pass it on to someone else, who'd pass it on in turn, and in the end the entire school would know that the rumour about the shrine on the pier was an utter sham.

Sango and Koishi offered each other a nod in congratulations as they walked past, making their way out into next period. Last night had mostly been spent doing some basic studying just to bring herself back up to speed with everyone else, while Sango had been learning the wonders of human television. Apparently game shows were much more entertaining to watch when every contestant had bright pink hair.

"When we get home, though, you need to hit the books as well. The English teacher nearly had an aneurysm when you answered her."

"Hey, how was I supposed to know that she wasn't being literal when she asked me about spear-shaking?"

"It's Shakespeare, Sango-san. He's a playwright."

"Well, it's his fault for having such a stupid name, phwee."

They'd had no luck in terms of finding a club to join - even examining the school notice board had turned up no results. It was far enough into the school year that most clubs had given up on recruitment and taken their signs down to let the teachers advertise school shows and the like. Sango's occasional sonar search hadn't turned up any notable results either - she could vaguely feel the presence of several Teardrops in the area, but she couldn't pinpoint one in particular.

"Hm? Sango-san, what's that?"

Koishi caught sight of a single battered sign still stuck to a distant wall. It was sagging downward from the top, to the point where Koishi needed to lift it up with one hand to read it and even then had to squint for the faded ink.

"Apply now for the Perfect Diet club, where health nuts gather to find the secret to culinary enlightenment...?"

It was exaggerated and boisterous, but that was about the only way to possibly gain interest in a school like this. There were dozens of clubs running all at once, so if a club didn't sell itself extravagantly there was no hope of receiving any sort of membership.

"See Club President, Mokou Fujiwara, for more information...ah?"

Koishi let out a little gasp as she looked over the name.

"Eh? Koishi-san, what's wrong?"

"I...I know her."

The name rang a bell in the distant corners of Koishi's mind. They'd sat together in...was it Geography? History? Something dull...yeah, it had been History. She was a bright, energetic girl, always going on about how she didn't need any of this stuff to run her yakitori stand. Koishi would turn to her and respond now and again when the teacher was covering something she already knew.

It has to be a good start, right?

"Well, that's what I call a lucky find! C'mon, let's go find this Mokou girl and get ourselves into that club! I'm pretty sure they won't have nearly enough fish in their diets..."

Koisihi wasn't sure whether to mention that the average human diet occasionally included foods that were not formerly alive, but eventually decided against it. History was coming up pretty soon, and they hadn't changed the seatings, so she'd get hold of her then and try to get herself in. Maybe apologise for her sudden lack of interest in Mokou, promise to make a fresh start, display interest in the club and suggest inviting Sango as well-

"Ah!"

By the time Koishi noticed there was a foot in the way, it was too late. She fell to the floor face first, her glasses flinging themselves along the polished ground.

"Aw, what a shame. Looks like grandma isn't that steady on her feet after all. And we were all so hopeful for you, too..."

_Oh no. Oh, god, no. Not now._

Koishi almost didn't want to look back at the perpetrator, but she knew full well that if she didn't she'd have her head pulled up anyway. Reluctantly, she turned around and sat up on the floor.

Looking down from above, admist a rainbow of colours, was a girl in a long blue dress with six sharp, crystal-like shards of ice hanging behind her back. The strands of blue in her hair Koishi had seen before now ran across it completely, the brunette colour giving way for the absurd new colour. Her bright blue eyes glared at Koishi, her lips warped into some mutated combination of a snarl and a grin. She looked like she wanted to both be sick and burst into laughter at the same time.

"And now your eyes are going, too...such a shame. It'd be really sad if someone ended up stepping on those in this crowded corridor, wouldn't it?"

Cirno reached down and grabbed Koishi by the shoulder, holding her back while she walked ahead. Now Cirno was standing between her and her glasses, and there was no way she was getting past unless the Fairy wanted her to.

Which she wouldn't, until she'd renovated Koishi's glasses with her foot.

_There's nothing I can do, is there...? There never is..._

Koishi was resigned to her fate as Cirno continued to walk forward, stamping triumphantly towards the fallen glasses. She was eager to smash them in the same way a warrior claimed a scalp - a little symbol of her strength, her superiority.

"Oopsie, looks like I'm gonna-"

Cirno wasn't expecting a hand to grab her from behind. No-one messed with her - no-one who knew who they were messing with, no-one who was even remotely sane.

So Cirno couldn't help but gasp a little as she saw an unfamiliar face looking back at her, with the same silver hair that Koishi had.

"Sorry to interrupt, but what the hell do you think you're doing to my friend?"


	7. Defeat

Cirno took a moment to simply stare in shock at the newcomer. For months now she'd been one of the school's unspoken leaders, keeping the other students in check with a well timed jab if need be. Most of the school had grown docile and simply kept their heads down as the Fairies had their fun. Someone actually having the nerve to touch her - let alone threaten her - was unprecedented.

"You didn't see anything. Get outta here."

Maybe she was just a newcomer who didn't know what she was getting into. She'd heard stories of an eccentric new transfer student from her underlings in the class, so everything added up.

"I see you picking on a girl who did nothing to wrong you, phwee."

There, that was what Dai had pointed out - she gave off this weird phwee sound sometimes when she talked, like she was whistling and breathing in at the same time. Her ears wriggled, almost comically, and Cirno had to hold in the urge to just laugh.

Best to deal with it quickly and quietly. A full-blown fight was going to attract unwanted attention.

"You really have no idea what you're getting into, do you? Walk away now, or you'll be waking up next period in the nurse's office."

Koishi stared up at the pair in awe, frozen in place. Cirno batted Sango's hand away violently as a cue for her to run off now.

Sango didn't comply. She just stood still, looking away for a moment before shaking her head.

"No thanks. I'd be a pretty lousy friend if I let you do what you liked to her, wouldn't I?"

_Friends? With Komeiji? Wow, this girl has crappy taste._

Cirno sighed. If she was quick about it, she could probably give this girl a lesson on how the social hierarchy worked around here. She stepped back from Koishi, disregarding the glasses on the floor, and looked over at the newcomer. Sango continued to stare back without a hint of fear.

"Oh, I'm sorry. Maybe we should all talk this over so there isn't some kinda misunderstandi-"

The Fairy deliberately took a quick step forward mid-sentence, faster than her opponent could react, and delivered a right hook to the cheek. The impact was enough to knock Sango back a step, clutching at her face in shock.

"There! We clear now? Now, get the hell outta here before I have to do something else to that pretty little face of yours!"

By now, the murmuring and muttering of the surrounding students had stopped. Suddenly, all eyes were drawn to the fight unfolding in the middle of the corridor. Hell, it wasn't just a fight - some dumb newbie had managed to piss off Cirno, of all people. It attracted viewers in the same way people swarmed to witness a public execution.

Sango needed a moment to recover from the first blow, falling completely for Cirno's opening gambit. She could taste blood in her mouth, but she spat it at some forgotten corner of the corridor.

"That wasn't very fair. Breaking into a fight halfway through a conversation...you have no dignity at all, do you?"

Cirno laughed.

"Kid, fair fights are for idiots! Anyone with half a brain sets the field in their favour before the fight's even begun!"

Sango stepped forward herself, the pain from the first hit starting to numb as adrenaline kicked in. She took a more refined stance, slowly lowering her arms with her hands outstretched into firmly-held palms. There was a confident glare in her eye.

"Do it again. I dare you."

Cirno paused for a moment, examining Sango's posture. It looked like one of those fancy-schmancy martial arts that showed up in crappy B-movies and TV shows. Clearly, this girl fancied herself to be some sort of esteemed fighter.

She was going to enjoy this one.

Cirno curled her hands up into fists, raising one as she took another step forward.

"Don't mind if I do!"

Sango's eyes were focused on the raised hand the instant it appeared. Without a hint of effort, she chopped at it from the wrist, redirecting it to miss her entirely. It was a textbook parry, performed perfectly and flawlessly.

"Ah-"

Unfortunately, the textbook assumed that there would only be one punch at a time.

Sango heard an impact. Then, she suddenly found herself unable to breathe.

"P-Phwweeee..."

She had been so focused on the hand going for her face that she hadn't seen Cirno's other hand aiming lower, slamming into her stomach. Sango let out a little gasp as the blow winded her, knocking her back another step.

"Heh! So much for your pretty stances! Not so proud now, are ya?!"

Cirno seized the advantage, going to the winded Sango with both fists. Sango was unable to counter - it took all she had just to deflect the oncoming attacks, let alone offer any sort of response. She could barely breathe, and each strike came a little closer to connecting than the one before it. She had to start blocking punches with her arms, and felt the force reverberating through them as Cirno struck. She grit her teeth as the pain started to kick in, and there was no sign of her opponent letting up.

There was no other way to interpret the outcome. Sango was losing.

There was murmured cheering in the crowd as they watched the Fairy leader show yet another greenhorn who was in charge. The only person separate from the ranks of spectators was Koishi, still sitting in place on the floor.

_She's in trouble._

She watched the fight unfold like it was on the other side of a glass wall, totally out of her control. Sango was taking a beating, and Cirno wouldn't stop until she'd firmly proven her superiority. She could see the pain in Sango's eyes as her body ached - eventually she would just tire out and give Cirno the chance to do some real damage.

It hurt to watch. It felt like she was being punched alongside Sango, taking every blow and every punch. But she was powerless to help, and watching was all she could do.

Wasn't it?

_...Isn't it?_

This was all her fault. If Sango hadn't jumped in to save her, none of this would have had to happen. Now she was taking the beating meant for Koishi, and what was Koishi offering her as thanks? She was sitting back and watching as Cirno pummeled her mercilessly.

By now Sango was on her last legs, panting and wincing with every blow. Cirno, on the other hand, seemed to be growing stronger with every attack, almost growing visibly above her opponent. There was no question as to who was the superior fighter.

It only took a moment of weakness, and with a final well-placed attack Sango's legs buckled. She fell to the floor silently, too tired to even let out a cry. She was in no state to fight back, so for all intents and purposes Cirno had won.

But it was clear that wasn't going to be enough for the Fairy. She walked up to Sango's fallen body, and delivered a swift kick to the stomach. The dolphin winced.

"No-one messes with the Fairies. Got that through that thick skull of yours?!"

She kicked at Sango over and over again, letting off a nigh-maniacal laugh as she did so. There was an intense pleasure in superiority, and she was revelling in it.

That was it. That was too far.

Koishi could make out a thumping sound, and it took her a moment to realise it was coming from her own chest. Her heart was pounding, and it felt like something inside her was coming to life. There was an emotion welling up inside her, something that she thought she had discarded a long time ago. An emotion that finally brought her back to her feet and filled her with a newfound determination.

It was anger.

No-one saw her stand up - everyone's attention was focused on the mêlée taking place a few steps away. She was no fighter, and using the Teardrop was a definite no-go with this audience, but right now that didn't matter.

"...get away..."

The voice started as barely a whisper, and unsurprisingly Cirno was too busy to hear it. Koishi took a deep breath, feeling her whole body tremble in fear. She was scared. She was terrified. If she did this, Cirno would have a reason to pound her senseless. It'd hurt. It'd be agonising.

But she didn't care. She had caused this mess, so it was her job to end it. Sango didn't deserve to be taking this beating. Her logical mind was shutting down at the sight of this - she had to do something. Anything.

She moved with a ferocity that surprised even her.

"GET AWAY FROM HER!"

Koishi grabbed Cirno around the neck and pulled her backwards, managing to pull the Fairy a few steps away through the element of surprise alone. There was a collective gasp from the crowd, while Sango was too busy trying to catch her breath to convey her shock.

Koishi's effort quickly earned her an elbow to the face.

"Kyah!"

She fell back onto the floor, feeling as if a hammer had just struck her in the forehead. Cirno turned around to face her, and Koishi immediately felt a chill down her spine - the sneer she'd received before had morphed into a look of outright disgust.

"You little bitch...!"

Cirno raised a hand, fist clenched. There was no sign of mercy in her eyes - if she had to break a few bones, she would. Koishi could only hold up her arms to try and protect her face.

A whistle blew through the corridor before the first blow could be struck.

"Alright, people! Break it up already! Move on, everyone, nothing to see here!"

Almost instantly the crowd dispersed, running off to whatever class they were supposed to be attending. Cirno looked up in the direction of the voice, and growled.

"Shit...you lucked out, Komeiji! Don't think I'll forget this!"

She ran off, quickly disappearing into the sea of students. Only Sango and Koishi remained, both lying on the floor and wincing from their respective injuries.

"...Dammit, I never make it on time. You two, are you okay?"

Professor Kawashiro came up to the pair, still holding a whistle in one hand. Given that the school council was notoriously bad at maintaining order, it came down to the teachers to break up fights and arguments. Most of them didn't see it as a job worth pursuing, and she was the only one to take the duty seriously. Ironically, it was another reason she preferred teaching physics - no-one ever got into a fight near the math department.

Koishi felt like her brain was melting as she rubbed at her forehead. At least it wouldn't bruise, but it would sure sting. The professor offered her a hand up, which she gratefully accepted.

"I...I think so. Thank you, Kawashiro-sensei."

Koishi came to her feet, and was surprised to find that Sango was already next to her, holding out the glasses that had fallen aside earlier.

"You dropped these."

Koishi took a moment to look at her as she accepted the glasses. There was no sign of injury, or pain, or anything - she looked as if the entire beatdown from earlier had never happened. She asked herself the question, not wanting to have the teacher overhear whatever sort of explanation Sango had for this.

_H-How did you?_

Sango smirked.

_"I'm a youkai. We're pretty good at putting ourselves back together, assuming we get the chance."_

Professor Kawashiro gave Sango a quick look-over, running a hand down the back of her jacket and checking if there were any bruises underneath. Given that there were no yelps of pain, she concluded that Sango was more or less unharmed. Koishi, meanwhile, had taken a nasty blow to the head, and she didn't have magical healing powers to rely on.

"I'm guessing it was Cirno and her gang that did this? Not that we can prove it. We'll catch them on something eventually, I swear...ah, Komeiji-san, I think you'd better head to the nurse's office with an injury like that. She'll get you some ice or something. Tororetsu-san, you'd better go too, just in case anyone jumps you on the way."

Sango nodded, wrapping an arm around Koishi's shoulder with a sudden devotion.

"You've got it, Professor. That's the last time I fall for that trick, that's for sure. Now come on, Koishi-san, let's get you seen to..."

She pulled Koishi along down the corridor for a few seconds as her friend kept grasping at her head, still wincing a little, before the professor called out to her.

"Tororetsu-san? The nurse's office is the other way."

"I knew that."

* * *

><p>"Haah...that's better."<p>

Koishi felt a wave of relief wash over her as she held the ice pack against her forehead. She was seated in the nurse's office, having needed to give Sango directions the instant they left the corridor. After a few wrong turns and mishaps, they managed to hand Koishi in to have her injuries seen to.

The school nurse was a strange character. Efficient at her job, yes, but she didn't seem truly meant to be a nurse. It was a fact that Koishi was reminded of shortly afterwards.

"You seem to be troubled, Komeiji-san. Can I assume that you're feeling guilty about not being able to do more in that little scuffle?"

Koishi jittered a little in her chair. Right on the mark, yet again.

"Y-Yes...how do you do that, Nagae-sensei?"

"Woman's intuition. And please, call me Iku."

The nurse's office was littered with various memorabilia from the 1970s - miniature disco balls, CDs of Western singers that Koishi had never heard of, and an old, forgotten radio that still occasionally played a tape from the olden days in the background. Despite this apparent nostalgia, Nurse Nagae seemed to be particularly normal - civil, and willing to do what she could to offer support to the injured. She was so talented with reading the attitudes of others, though, that most of the school agreed she would be better employed as a negotiator, or even a therapist.

"I took a look at your school record to check if there were any past illnesses to worry about. It was some rather heavy reading - you've been going through a very rough couple of months, haven't you?"

Koishi slowly nodded. She'd kept afloat enough to keep the school from forcing disciplinary action on her, but as a result her grades had drastically fallen.

A small smile formed on the nurse's face as she placed a hand on Koishi's shoulder.

"Komeiji-san. I just want you to know that if anything is troubling you, you can come to me and speak in private. I'd offer you a chance to talk now, but..."

She glared out the window, towards the silhouette of Sango standing outside the door. She was keeping vigil, watching the nurse's office almost like a guard.

"She's, um...new here. She needs me around to stop her from getting lost."

The nurse glared at the figure on the other side of the door for a moment, sighing.

"Well, you can do it another time. Just the two of us, and I swear I won't tell a soul anything you have to say. Think about it."

Koishi nodded, slowly taking the ice pack away from her forehead. Honestly, she probably wouldn't follow up on the offer - not now that most of her problems would simply be taken as a sign of insanity. She could imagine the conversation now - "Well, there was a strange incident a few days ago where a pair of fishmen tried to kill me, and I was saved by a magical talking dolphin who turned me into some sort of superhero and - hey, who are these men in the white coats?"

"Thank you, Nag- I mean, Iku-sensei. I'll give it some thought."

The nurse offered her another small smile as Koishi left the office. She watched the student leave alongside her friend, not taking a step apart from each other.

She sighed. They made her job so difficult sometimes.

* * *

><p>The period was just about ending, so Koishi and Sango decided to take the trip to History early rather than stick their heads into Geography for all of 5 minutes. Besides, after today's incident it was probably a bad idea to hang around the corridors any longer than they absolutely had to - another run-in with Cirno was inevitably bad news.<p>

The first half of the trip across the school's empty corridors was in relative silence. Both of them clearly had something they wanted to say, but neither of them could quite spit it out. An awkward atmosphere formed between the two of them, growing heavier and heavier by the second until at last neither of them could stand it.

"Sorry I had to get you to save me."

"Sorry I didn't help out sooner."

They both spoke at once, cutting each other off. They looked away for a moment, but Sango was the first to recover.

"I could have taken her, honest! Just didn't think she'd play so dirty...and Koishi-san, I'm supposed to look after you. That's why I'm here."

"I know, but...you looked like you were hurting a lot down there."

She'd seen Sango wince as Cirno had beaten her down. Guardian or no, it made no sense for Koishi to just stand idly by and watch Sango suffer.

"And besides that..."

Koishi rested her head on Sango's shoulder, prompting a sudden blush from the dolphin.

"You're not just a guardian, Sango-san. You're my friend."

Sango squirmed a little as she realised how this position could be interpreted. Her hand over there...Koishi's head down there...if someone were to walk by, then they might think-

"P-Phwee! Um, Koishi-san, I'm touched by the sentiment, yes, it's nice to hear you trust me so much, but we might be moving a little too quickly with this, don't you think?! I mean, there's a point where this goes further than business is meant to go, and...phwee, phwee, phweeee...!"

Sango suddenly pulled away, stepping away from Koishi a little. Koishi tilted her head slightly, not sure what exactly Sango was so concerned about. Her telepathy only let her hear thoughts the target willingly wanted to project, so for now it would remain a mystery.

The remainder of the trip was once again made in silence, though silence of a very different flavour than before.

* * *

><p>Koishi had been quick to teach Sango the two main rules of history class. The teacher had never uttered them, but every student knew them and took them very much to heart.<p>

The first rule: You must hand in all your homework on time. Failure to do so earned you some 'private' time with Professor Kamishirasawa after class; no-one had been brave enough to say exactly what went on during that detention, but students walked out on a regular basis with bruised foreheads and concussions.

The second rule was just the first one again, repeated for emphasis.

Sango dodged a bullet this time around, given that she hadn't been around for the last few classes due to 'moving from the other side of the country to Gensouto'. Explaining why she had missed every other history class on the curriculum was a challenge they would have to deal with later.

"Hm?"

Koishi stared blankly at the seat to her left. If she remembered correctly, this was where Mokou would be sitting. Sango had taken the chair desk on her right, and was leaning over to examine the spot as well.

"Maybe I'm seeing things, but is your health nut friend invisible?"

No...she's not there.

Professor Kamishirasawa was in the middle of calling attendance. Every few names she would stop and readjust her hat - an ornate, pagoda-like structure that had to be breaking some protocol of school safety.

"OK, then. Fujiwara?"

A moment of silence. Her eyes fell on the unoccupied chair.

"Thought not."

The teacher looked unsurprised as she got back to marking down the absences. Koishi was startled at first, and soon shifted to concern. She looked forward, to a pair of sisters whispering to each other. One of them was drawing leaves on the blank pages of her book, and her sister occasionally snuck a grape from beneath her table to eat as a snack. What were their names again...? Ah, it had been too long since the start of the year, she'd forgotten. Aki...something.

"Uh, excuse me. Do either of you know what happened to Fujiwara-san?"

She pointed to the empty seat for emphasis. The two sisters stared at each other, then back to Koishi, both looking awestruck.

"You...you mean you don't know about her?"

That did nothing to comfort Koishi, and she nervously shook her head. The closer sister pulled closer, whispering.

"Check out the back exit at the end of class. You'll understand."

It was an answer, but not the sort that Koishi had been wanting to hear. Still, nothing she could do now other than wait out the class and take a look when school was over.

For now, she had her work cut out for her passing Sango some answers when Professor Kamishirasawa turned her attention to her. Even if she was a youkai, she had a feeling that a little 'private' time with the teacher would scar her for life. Mentally, if not physically.

* * *

><p>Her heart had stopped for a moment when Sango had been called out to name the three sacred treasures of legend, and her mind had drawn an absolute blank. Fortunately the dolphin guessed that one of them was a sword, which was close enough to a correct answer to spare her Keine's wrath.<p>

The bell rang, signalling the end of class and the end of the school day. Professor Kamishirasawa pulled a few unlucky students aside for alone time. Koishi saw the look of horror on their faces, and murmured a silent prayer.

It was a careful trip to the back exit of the school, mainly consisting of scouring their surroundings to see if Cirno was coming back for another round. The Black Claw may have been dangerous, but in terms of a history of violence Cirno and her gang were far more of a threat now.

Koishi had been uncertain if this was such a good idea now - this was where all the other delinquents hung out. None of them had a history of violence like the Fairies did, but likewise none of them were fantastic people. There was a horrible feeling in the bottom of her stomach, but Mokou had been a friend once. It was only fair that she tried to make up for lost time, even if it wasn't the nicest way to have a reunion.

Sango was the first to poke her head out the back doorway, scouting for any sign of Cirno before letting Koishi past. There was no sign of her, or indeed any of her cohorts, but one or two stragglers were lurking beneath the pillars in the nearby garden. One of them immediately caught Koishi's eye - a young, tall-looking girl with black hair running down to her waist, wearing a pair of cumbersome looking suspenders along with a simple white shirt. There was a cigarette hanging out of her mouth, almost as an afterthought - she seemed to be chewing on it more than she was smoking it.

"Is that her, phwee?"

Koishi continued to stare, uncertain. She wanted to say yes, this was indeed Mokou Fujiwara, supposed owner of the Perfect Diet club, but everything about her was so different from what she remembered. The cheery smile and bright eyes had vanished, replaced by a permanent leer and a growling face. Even her stance as she leaned against the pillar screamed aggression - she looked ready to kick off the wall and deliver a roundhouse kick to the face of anyone who came close.

"Umm...yeah. I think that's-"

Koishi was interrupted as a hand grabbed desperately at her shoulder. Looking to her side, she saw Sango's ears coming to the end of their wiggling. She stared at Mokou with an emotion somewhere between respect and concern.

"We've found one."


	8. Rematch

Koishi blinked.

"Wait, you mean..."

"Yeah. Apparently you have good taste in friends, because I can sense the Teardrop inside her. She's a Siren, alright."

Mokou was staring at the floor, grumbling as her hands hung limp in her pockets. She'd yet to notice Koishi and Sango stalking her out.

"Well, what are you waiting for, Koishi-san? Go talk to her."

"Me?! But look at her! She probably knows a dozen ways to kill me with that cigarette alone!"

"Hey, you're her friend. She's got no idea who the hell I am, so your odds are better than mine."

That, at least, Koishi couldn't argue with. She let out a little groan as she stood up straight, trying to figure out how best to introduce herself. Did she throw out a simple greeting? Did she pretend to have forgotten her?

Maybe a joke would be the best way across, now that she thought about it. Something witty to win her over. She racked her brain for something to offer to the conversation.

"You know, uh...I'm not the health expert here, but I always thought smoking was bad for you."

_Smooth. Reeeeeeeal smooth._

Mokou looked up at that, and proceeded to give Koishi a nigh-fatal glare. There almost seemed to be something burning beneath her eyes - a tiny flame, flickering brightly now and again. The cigarette slipped out of her mouth, unused, and she promptly crushed it beneath her heel.

"I figure if I buy myself a packet, it's a packet that someone else isn't gonna use to poison themselves. Besides, people have expectations 'round here, believe it or not - if you aren't smoking, everyone thinks you're some kinda kid."

She kicked away from the pillar lightly, strolling up to Koishi with the same menacing aura. Koishi was squirming just at her presence.

"You really are feeling crap, from the looks of things. Don't tell me you're getting into drugs or something, Komeiji-san."

This was turning out very, very badly. The last thing she wanted was for Mokou to think she was an addict - that'd lose her everything resembling respect from the health nut. She started flailing, half through desperation and half through fear.

"N-No way! You told me enough horror stories about those things to keep me clean for a dozen lifetimes-"

Her panicking cut off.

"Wait. ...You remember me?"

Mokou put a hand on Koishi's shoulder. The difference in physical health was blatantly obvious between them - Mokou was a head taller, and she had a great deal more muscle on her bones.

"You were treating your body like shit, Komeiji-san. Of course I was gonna worry about you."

A tiny smile worked its way onto her face.

"But you look better now. Maybe not in great shape, but you're trying again. That's good."

She wrapped her arms around Koishi in a firm embrace, leaving Koishi surprised for a moment. She was touched to find that Mokou still remembered her after so long apart, and allowed herself to enjoy the hug.

Meanwhile, watching from the distance, Sango felt her face turning red.

_!? That girl..._

The way they were holding each other - hadn't that been how Koishi had been holding her?! That same affection, that same care...

"...Phweeeeee...!"

A sound forced its way out of her mouth as her arms clenched into fists. In front of her, Koishi and Mokou continued their friendly embrace.

She was having none of it.

"Hey, you! Don't get any bright ideas about stealing Koishi-san!"

The hug, collapsed almost immediately when Mokou realised that she was being watched. She leaped away from Koishi, instantly looking in Sango's direction as the dolphin gave her an envious stare. The small grin had vanished again, and the serious, straight face had returned.

"Komeiji-san, who the hell is this?"

Were there words for how quickly this plan was coming apart? If there were, Koishi didn't know them. She tried to salvage the situation by explaining matters before Sango could shoot her mouth off.

"Uh, sorry, you two haven't been introduced, have you? This is Sango-san, she's my-"

Too late.

"I'm Sango! Sango Tororetsu, phwee! And it's my job to look after Koishi-san, got it?! Don't think you can get close to her without my say so, phwee!"

She was going red in the face, and in spite of her opponent's threat (or even the fact that she'd been pummelled all of an hour ago) she looked ready to snap at any moment. Mokou looked blankly at Sango, and proceeded to place a hand on her head and ruffle her hair. Sango flinched, trying to pull herself away from Mokou's grip, but the health nut was every bit as strong as she looked.

"Heh. You've got a pretty cute girlfriend, Komeiji-san. I guess she's what made you change yourself?"

"Well, you could say tha-wait, **she's definitely not my girlfriend**!"

* * *

><p>It took a little convincing, but eventually Koishi weaved a story that Sango was a guardian who had been sent to look after her when she had no-one to live with. There was much relief from Koishi when Mokou bought it, but Sango still gave her the occasional jealous glare.<p>

_So how do we do this? Do we just tell her the whole story?_

Sango shook her head at that one.

_"You realise just how crazy the truth is gonna look to her, right? You can't explain it and honestly think she'll believe it until she experiences it for herself. And you definitely can't transform in public."_

_So...we need to have her discover her Teardrop first? Get her to make some sort of heartfelt wish and explain it from there?_

This time, Sango nodded.

_"Yeah. Just try and win her favour for now, and then we can-"_

"Hey, what are you two doing staring at each other?"

Koishi and Sango both flinched as Mokou brought them out of their unspoken conversation. Only now did Koishi realise just how awkward this must have looked to other people.

"Ah, sorry. I was just spacing out."

"Bad at focusing, huh? I can tell you where to get hold of some herbal tea for that - pretty cheap, too."

Mokou had a soothing way of talking when it came to health issues, so it was a shame that almost everything else she said sounded like she was holding Koishi to gunpoint. She had two levels of emotion - caring teacher and irritated stranger, and it was very hard to bring around the former.

She asked Koishi how the last few months had been, having a very vague knowledge of Satori's disappearance. Koishi had no real response to give - every day had been just about the same as the one before it, nothing exemplary or interesting. She had simply been existing - she was only alive in the most literal sense. Mokou had frowned at that, but she was glad to see that things had apparently improved.

Now was Koishi's chance to try and start on some progress. She turned the question back on Mokou.

"So, what about you? I was wanting to try getting back into some clubs, so I figured the Perfect Diet club would be a good place to sta-"

"Disbanded."

A beat.

"...Huh?"

"I disbanded the club. I'm the President. I can do that."

Mokou's words were blunt and simple. The frown on her face grew slightly, as she glared at nothing in particular. Maybe she could use some of that herbal tea she'd been talking about.

"...OK. So, what've you been u-"

"Nothing."

"Have you been hanging out wi-"

"No-one."

In her head, Koishi saw herself squeezing a stone in the hope that blood would seep out. She sighed, and decided that it was probably best to just start slow. Besides, it was good to talk to a old friend again. It reminded her of better times.

"Never mind, then. We can just go out for something to eat, okay? No worries, Sango-san will pay for everything."

"Yeah, we can just...phwee? I'm paying?!"

"You're the one with the bulging wallet, remember? You can't expect us students to pay up."

Koishi gave Sango a playful poke in the rib. The dolphin let out a little moan, as she mentally said farewell to the tins of mackerel she could have bought for herself with the money. Mokou allowed herself a little chuckle as the trio walked around the school to the main entrance.

"Well, who am I to turn down a free meal? I just hope this place you're gonna take me to has a healthy eating option."

"Do gratuitous helpings of omega-3 count as healthy eating? 'Cause if so, you're gonna have a great..."

Sango's sentence trailed off unfinished as they reached the school's entrance. By now, almost all the other students had finished their business here and headed home.

Everyone, that is, except Cirno and her gang, currently standing between them and the exit.

"Hey, Komeiji! Told you I was gonna get you back for that little stunt you pulled, didn't I? And I'm a good woman - I keep to my word."

Koishi bit her lip. Unconsciously, she squeezed at Sango's hand.

The various thugs and delinquents she'd pulled together looked like they fashion statements. Their poses were slumped, their faces grim - and most importantly, they didn't look like they could hold themselves in a fight. With enough of a distraction, Koishi could probably run past them and dash away.

But they weren't the problem. The problem was their leader; Koishi didn't stand a chance against Cirno, and Sango's fighting style was still too textbook to be of any use. The head Fairy glanced at their new friend, who seemed to have no idea what was going on.

"Hey, you brought out the self-proclaimed health guru! What happened to you, anyway? You were always bragging about how great your diets were and how you'd revolutionise medicine or something. You finally realise you were talking shit?"

Mokou rubbed incessantly at her temples as Cirno spoke, like she was searching for a switch to turn her ears off. There were murmurs of agreement among her minions, offering nothing more inventive than 'Yeah!' or 'What she said!'

"...Kid, I hardly recognise you any more."

Cirno flinched, along with Sango and Koishi turning to Mokou in surprise.

"F-Fujiwara-san?! You know her?"

Mokou paused before answering, her face looking pained.

"Just leave this to me."

Mokou took a step away from Koishi and Sango, approaching Cirno with her hands back in her pockets. She let out a heaving sigh, like a mother trying to conceal disappointment with her problem child.

"Cut the crap, kid. Let us through."

Cirno grinned, chuckling to herself at a joke no-one else seemed to understand. The Fairies got the hint, and started to laugh alongside her.

"Sorry, can't do that. Times have changed, see. Nowadays it's me giving the orders around here, got it?"

Cirno walked towards the advancing Mokou, until the two were standing well away from the crowds. At the same time, Koishi was conflicted over finding a way to help and frustrated that she probably had nothing to offer in that regard.

"Sango-san...she's going to get hurt, isn't she?"

Of all the things she expected to see as she turned to her side, Koishi wasn't expecting Sango to be smiling.

"Eh? What's so funny?"

Sango pulled a hand over, and did Koishi a favour by removing her glasses for her. Seeing what was going on explained her confidence far better than words ever would.

"Huh? That's..."

Cirno had the same form she fought in before, standing menacingly with her frozen wings floating behind her back. They fluttered occasionally, sending a light chill across the school grounds. The ruffians behind her were literal fairies as well, but each of them looked almost identical to the fairies at their sides. There was no differentiation, no unique patterns, nothing. They weren't worth paying attention to.

Koishi was looking elsewhere. Mokou wasn't even aware of it, but there were tiny flames trailing at her feet, sending her clothes billowing around as the smoke rose from them. Her suspenders were laced with what looked like ornate sealing charms, and her hair had sifted to a light tint of violet.

But most importantly, a pair of beautiful golden wings had sprung up on her back, an occasional flame running along their length. They looked like they were meant to spread as far as her arms were long, but they were clipped messily two-thirds of the way along. It was clear that they would be no good for flight, and she was a far cry from full power, but the sight of it was still enough to amaze Koishi.

"Fire beats ice, Koishi-san. We've got nothing to worry about."

Mokou maintained her idle stance, refusing to take a pose even as Cirno raised her fists. If anything, she looked bored by the prospect of a fight. Cirno maintained the same smug smile that had carried her through every fight up until now, not budging an inch.

"Oh, please. You're not gonna just sit there and take it, are you? Defend yourself, already."

"Don't need to."

Cirno's grin disappeared. She was being mocked, and in front of her gang, no less. Anything resembling mercy ceased to be an option, and she decided that her new objective was to pummel Mokou to the point where she had more blood on her clothes than in her body.

"Kh. I'll show you what happens when you screw with the Fairies...!"

Cirno charged forward, maintaining the stance she'd used fighting Sango. There was no way Mokou was going to land a hit on her face, and even hitting her torso was going to be a challenge.

Of course, Mokou was aware of this. That was the point of the stance, and it worked wonders when standing still. Charging with it, though, meant it was all too easy for the opponent to simply step to the side, catch the front leg with their foot, and send the charge in a new and painful direction.

"Uwah!"

Cirno tripped over Mokou's outstretched foot, quickly rolling to the side as she hit the floor. Mokou made no attempt to capitalise on the opening, giving her every chance to recover and simply waiting for her to attack.

"T-That's no fair! You never taught me that one!"

"That's because I trained you to take care of yourself, kid. Whatever happened to the girl who wanted to learn to protect herself from the seniors who were picking on her?"

That hit a nerve with Cirno, and her face grew red with anger. There were murmurings of confusion in the crowd.

"I-I don't have a clue what you're talking about! I'm the strongest fighter here, and I'm gonna prove it!"

Cirno came forward again, more carefully this time as she took swings at Mokou's face. The firebird weaved past the first fist, and pulled one hand out of her pocket to catch the second in mid-air. She pressed down on it, not with enough force to do damage but with enough to hold it in place. Cirno paused, looking at the trapped hand in shock.

"Done yet?"

Mokou remained startlingly calm, with her other hand still in her pocket as if nothing was happening. Cirno's eyes began to water.

"Y-You...!"

She used her front foot as leverage, kicking forward with the back foot aimed right at Mokou's chest. An attack that strong would easily break a few bones if it connected, and with her grip on Cirno's hand Mokou had stopped herself from stepping away.

Instead, Mokou used her other hand to knock away the oncoming attack at the ankle, sending Cirno's leg off over her left shoulder. Koishi saw it stop inches from her fiery wing, and for a split second the two seemed to be frozen in the moment, like time had waited to take a picture of the scene for remembrance.

The rest passed in slow-motion. Mokou's foot swept around again, catching the leg Cirno still had on the floor. The Fairy's centre of balance came apart entirely, and her hands flailed about as she fell towards the floor. Mokou let go of her hand, and instead swooped down to grab her by the neck to hasten her fall.

Cirno hit the ground with a painful thump, a hand around her throat and a second fist ready to beat her senseless if she so much as tried anything. It had only lasted a minute, but already the fight was over.

"I trusted you, kid. You let me down."

Mokou whispered a few words to her, unheard by the surrounding crowds. She pulled her hands away, standing up and returning to the bored, idle stance she had taken before. Cirno offered no resistance, staring blankly into the sky as Mokou walked back towards Koishi and Sango.

"F-Fujiwara-san, that was incredible!" Koishi cried.

Mokou offered a shrug as she let a smile rise to her face again.

"Eh, what can I say? A little fight now and again helps keep me in shape. I know a thing or two. You want some pointers, Komeiji-san?"

"Um, sure, but..."

Koishi looked behind Mokou, towards the still fallen body of Cirno. Physically she was fine, but mentally it looked like she was on the verge of crying. The Fairies who had been gathered around the entrance started to disperse - their leader had shamed herself in a fight. There was no point in respecting her if she wasn't really the strongest.

"Is she going to be okay?"

Mokou turned around and winced slightly at the sight of Cirno still sprawled along the ground. She gave off another painful sigh.

"Just leave her for now. She's got a lot to think over. She'll be fine."

She started making her way to the entrance, stepping over Cirno as she left. Sango and Koishi followed afterwards, nervously stepping around the fallen fairy and breathing easier once they made it out of the gates.

"So, I think I earned myself this free meal, don't you?"

"Well, you did save the two of us from another fight with Cirno. Didn't she, Sango-san."

"P-Phwee...my mackerel dinners..."

* * *

><p>She had lost.<p>

Cirno didn't want to look back down. It felt like she was still falling, her entire life collapsing down to the lowest of lows. There were tears slipping down her face now, and it felt like she was about to explode.

_I trusted you, kid. You let me down._

She had never been popular in school. She did poorly in tests, even when she tried, so inevitably her classmates would gang up and call her an idiot. When they grew tired of just laughing at her, they went a step further and started playing pranks - swapping out her exam papers, tripping her up in the corridor, even 'requesting' her lunch money.

Mokou had found her sobbing outside the back entrance, and taught her about fighting on the streets. About how to look after herself, to give the bullies who picked on her a taste of her own medicine. It was information she used to full effect, handing out payback to anyone who tried to take advantage of her. No-one called her an idiot after that.

When the bullies who had picked on her were dealt with, Cirno found herself with a dilemma. The emotion she'd felt as she finally proved that she wasn't the loser everyone thought she was - she loved it, adored it, craved it. She started by coming up with nonsensical ways to be offended by the people around her, looking for an excuse to pummel them senseless. It grew more and more absurd by the day, until eventually it was clear she was simply fighting for the sake of fighting. Mokou had taught her well, though - with the skills she had picked up, along with her own training and effort, Cirno ended up effectively ruling the school. She made her own gang, the Fairies, and whatever she ordered was law.

Not anymore. In a single fight, she had been ritually humiliated. Her so-called friends had lost interest in her, and her reputation had been torn apart. Now she was alone, more than she'd even been, staring upwards as the sun set in the distance.

There were two sides fighting inside her right now. One half wanted to track down Mokou and kill her where she stood for ruining her. It cried for vengeance, for payback, for blood. The other half whispered words of forgiveness, saying that Mokou had simply intended to correct her path and seeked her best interests. This was her time to start afresh and make something of herself - now she had simply become that which she hated the most.

The two halves fought with one another in equal measure. At this rate, it could take days for one side to win out, and even then it could easily be either.

The figure standing over her offered words of guidance.

"You seek to destroy her?"

Cirno nodded, then shook her head, then nodded again. She was still uncertain, and there was a lingering doubt that she didn't have the nerve to put into words. The figure filled the blank for her.

"I see. So you seek power?"

This time, Cirno nodded. If she was strong enough, she could beat Mokou and show everyone who was the boss all over again. But Mokou was too powerful, and even Cirno would admit she was out of her league after a showing like that.

The figure smirked. It was a crooked smile, one that brought a chill down Cirno's spine.

"Very well. This will only hurt for a moment."

The figure picked Cirno up from the floor, lifting her back onto her feet. Her voice was familiar, but she had covered her face so that only her lips were visible.

That was all she needed to kiss Cirno.

"Mmh?!"

Something seeped inside of Cirno's mouth along with the woman's tongue, slithering down her throat like a snake. She felt it squirm back upwards again, reaching her brain and setting it alight. A million images burst into her vision in a second - absurd, magical images that couldn't possibly exist, she knew that, but they all looked so real.

Within her mind, the barrier that had kept Cirno in denial came apart. Whatever had slipped into her head had passed on all its knowledge as well. In an instant, she knew. She understood. She accepted.

And as the figure handed her a single golden key, she rejoiced.

_Mokou Fujiwara...just you wait. By the time you realise what I've done to you, you'll be getting thawed out by some archaeologist millions of years from now. And you know why?_

_'Cause I'm the strongest._


	9. Vengeance

Koishi had been smart enough to plan ahead and find out the fastest path to Lorelei's beforehand. Now she could take the lead without worrying about Sango tugging her arm off. She talked about trivial matters, and Mokou responded cheerfully enough, but every time she tried to delve into something personal the health nut would either dodge the question or answer jokingly.

_Is it too soon?_

She was in two minds about it. If she pressed too hard, she might end up upsetting Mokou and scaring her away, and then they'd be totally out of luck; but if she didn't try hard enough, she obviously wouldn't be able to watch Mokou 24/7, and the Black Claw might get rid of her before Koishi had a chance to intervene.

For now, she'd keep quiet. Maybe she'd try again after dinner or something. For now, she would just let Sango go on about all the various delicacies Mokou's 'perfect diet' was making her miss out on.

"I mean, have you ever even seen a puffer fish? Yeah, if you don't prepare it absolutely perfectly it kills you, but it only follows that the biggest risk gets you the best reward, right?"

"Uh...you realise they've figured out a way around that. Nowadays farmers just raise puffer fish without the whole deadly poison shtick."

"Really?! ...Well, I bet it doesn't taste as good."

Sango was understandably behind on human food-preparation, and Mokou was quick to point out her mistakes. Fortunately for Koishi, Mokou didn't wonder how her new conversation partner could be so knowledgable about the creatures of the ocean and yet so unaware of modern cuisine.

"Heh, you sound like you've had a bite out of every fish in the seven seas, Tororetsu-san. Hell, I bet you've even tried dolphin."

"Phwee?"

Sango didn't understand the question, tilting her head as she looked back at Mokou. The health nut blinked, a puzzled look rising to her face as well as she reiterated.

"Y'know, dolphins. Fish that aren't really fish? Everyone's going on about how the hunting's inhumane and all that crap? Personally, I've never touched the stuff, but...hey, are you alright? You're looking a little pale."

Koishi quickly noticed that Sango's knees were shaking. Her head was bowed down, and Koishi could sense she was on the verge of having steam pour out of her ears. She snapped her head back upwards, glaring at Mokou with a look of righteous indignation.

"I-I'd never eat a cute and innocent dolphin! The people who do that are...meanies! Mean meanie-faced meanies! Phweeeee!"

Mokou was taken aback by Sango's sudden outburst, not quite sure how someone how loved fish dishes so much could be so against eating dolphin. She wisely decided not to press the point any further, and simply watched as Sango proceeded to fall onto Koishi's shoulder.

_"Koishi-saaaan...I don't wanna be eaten..."_

Koishi offered her a pat on the head as they made their way into the city proper. This whole mission had clearly been something of a culture shock on her part, and it took a few minutes worth of calming words to bring her back to a sensible state.

The path Koishi had planned out ran through the main street of Gensouto. There were several branches off into smaller streets, but in general all the biggest stores could be found on one straight path from one side of the city to the other. It would be a while yet before they had to turn off for Lorelei's, so for now the three were immersed in the usual city crowds.

Sango took advantage of her earlier state and held hands with Koishi. From Mokou's point of view, she was still slightly upset and needed company; from Koishi's, it was to stop any wannabe Claw member from abducting her. It was maybe a little clingy, but Koishi appreciated the sentiment.

Mokou's eyes started to dart around the street, looking at the various turnoffs and avenues. She bit her lip.

"Uh, hey, we're turning off the main street soon, right?"

She sounded concerned, almost worried. Koishi had already figured out the route, so she shook her head in response.

"The fastest route goes pretty much all the way along. If we went through the avenues, it'd take a lot longer."

"Then let's go through the avenues."

"Huh? Why?"

"Exercise. Scenic route. Whatever. Just get off the street right now."

It had subtly turned from a request to an order. Mokou didn't go so far as to pull Koishi away, but from the look in her eyes she was definitely considering it. All the anger did, however, was confuse its target.

"Fujiwara-san, you aren't making any sense."

"Look, it's complicated. At this rate, we're gonna walk past-"

The word caught in her throat as she looked to her side. Koishi, still waiting for an explanation, looked in the same direction. Sango joined in wordlessly, leaving all the sensitive matters to her partner.

"...What's wrong? It's just a pharmacy."

It was new, Koishi thought, no more than a couple of months, but from the glossy walls and the shelves stacked with expensive medicines it was clear the store was in no financial difficulties. The sign above it declared it to be 'Eientei - for eternal health and beauty!' without a hint of irony.

Mokou's eyes weren't turned to the sign, though. They were looking head on at one of the signs in the window, advertising one of the pharmacy's hit products. From here Koishi couldn't make out the wording beneath it, but as Mokou stormed up to the window she followed afterward, quietly pulling along Sango.

**"The Hourai Elixir - our best-selling product, already nominated for a variety of awards! Try it today, and you won't be disappointed!"**

According to the sign it contained a variety of chemicals with names that Koishi couldn't spell, let alone pronounce. She looked over to Mokou for an explanation, but the health nut had already taken a step inside the store.

"Ah, Fujiwara-san?!"

She hadn't gone far - she was currently having a discussion with the attendant at the counter. Koishi was too far to make out words being exchanged between the two, but Mokou's face was livid while the attendant wore a forced smile as she tried to talk her down. The last thing Koishi wanted to do was walk in on a private discussion, so she again chose to hang back.

The first sign that she needed to step in was when Mokou let out her frustration by slamming a hand into a nearby pile of boxes. The on-sale items collapsed to the floor in a colossal spill, but it had done nothing to calm down Mokou - if anything, she looked angrier. Koishi couldn't sit around after something like that, and practically ran up to the counter while Sango hung at the entrance to, as she'd put it in her thoughts, _'guard the escape point'_.

"Dammit, I'm just asking her to pay her dues! Why can't I even get a chance to talk to her?!"

By now, every customer in the shop was watching the ongoing argument. The attendant, a serious-looking girl in a jacket and tie, took a moment to adjust her skirt and regain her cool. It was a skill Mokou clearly looked like she needed to learn, and her hand clenched up into a fist again ready to slam into the employee's face.

Koishi grabbed her around the waist before she did anything she would regret, pulling her back towards the doorway.

"Ah, sorry about this! She's, um, had a lot to drink! Not that she's underage or anything...anyway, thanks for your service! I love the lighting here! I'll tell all my friends about this place. Bye!"

The attendant clearly didn't believe a word she was saying, but gave her a nod of thanks as if to say 'Thank God, you got the crazy woman away from me'. Mokou let off a few weak flails, but from the look of surprise on her face she seemed to have suddenly realised what she had been doing and went limp in Koishi's hands.

_"Hehe, extraction successful! Excellent work, Koishi-san."_

Koishi wasn't sure how serious Sango was being with those words. Frankly, that concerned her. She let go of Mokou, who proceeded to take long, wide steps down the street as she deliberately looked in the opposite direction of the pharmacy. It was like just seeing the store would be enough to make her blood boil, and an explanation like that would certainly explain a lot.

What it left, though, was the important question. Why was a simple pharmacy enough to drive Mokou Fujiwara, the girl who'd stared down an attacker without landing a blow, to violence?

_Fujiwara-san...what happened to you?_

She let the health nut stomp along by herself for a while before catching up to her, thinking she'd appreciate the time to cool down.

"Um...are you alright?"

Mokou startled as Koishi put a hand on her shoulder, then proceeded to brush it off.

"I'm fine. Let's...let's just go."

She took wider steps again, doing all she could to get away from the pharmacy. This discussion would have to wait until dinner, it seemed.

_"Koishi-san. I don't need to tell you that we can't ignore this, do I?"_

Sango's face looked grave as she watched Mokou stride along without them once again. Koishi didn't need to put her response into words.

_Whatever happened to Fujiwara-san...I need to help her. Not just for her sake...but maybe for the sake of Gensouto._

So yeah, no pressure.

* * *

><p>"So, two servings of mackerel, and...sorry, did you say yakitori?"<p>

"Yeah, is that a problem?"

It was the same waiter as last time when the trio finally made it to Lorelei's, though this time Koishi noticed her shirt was the tiniest shade of pink. She blushed a little at the sight of Koishi and Sango, but pulled herself together enough to do her job.

"Ah, it's nothing. Just that the owner never liked working with chicken...I think she was brought up on a farm or something."

Quickly realising that she'd said too much, the waitress coughed lightly before noting down the order. Sango sighed as she dug into her wallet, pulling out another hefty note to pay for the meal.

"Seriously, Koishi-san...two dinners in two days? You're gonna be the death of me."

"Well, it isn't every day you bump into an old friend and have her save you from a pummelling. I think the hero deserves a feast in her name, don't you, Fujiwara-san?"

Mokou didn't offer a response, her attention now devoted to the glass of water she'd been handed by the waiter. She spun her straw around in the water, her face severe and focused on something else. The elbows she had on the table won her glares from other customers.

"Um. Fujiwara-san?"

Koishi's call was enough to snap Mokou out of her meditative state. "Oh, sorry. Just, uh...find it really fun to make little whirlpools in the glass. Yeah."

It was a pathetic explanation, which meant that whatever she was trying to conceal was worth embarrassing herself over. Koishi tread carefully with her next words, knowing full well that they were critical.

"Fujiwara-san...it's no good bottling it up. I'm no expert on physical health, but I do know that keeping your problems to yourself makes your brain overheat and turn into goop."

She did her best to sound friendly, throwing a joke in at the end to win her over. Mokou looked back to her glass, this time with a definite look of conflict on her face.

"Eh. I could probably still go on without my brain. It sure as hell hasn't done me any good over the last few months, that's for sure."

The silence that followed was painful. Mokou poked at the bottom of her glass, trying to stab through it with the straw for no reason other than to distract herself.

"Hey, it's not like we haven't all done stupid crap, right?" Sango said. "I mean, Koishi-san will testify that I'm pretty bad at this whole academic thing-"

"It's not school, dammit! You think I'm so shallow as to worry about missing a few months of education?! I could've been made for life, if I hadn't-"

Mokou put her hands on the table with a thump, silencing Sango's attempt to enter the conversation. What had started as an attempt to avoid frightening Mokou away had become an effort to stop Mokou from punching someone in the face.

It took a second for Mokou to come back to her senses, looking down on herself like she'd just regained awareness.

"...Shit. I'm doing it again, aren't I?"

She grabbed the glass, and downed its contents in a single gulp in an attempt to cool herself down. Her brain was clearly still working overtime, and she held her head in her hands as she did what she could to relax. They were pressing at something she didn't want to talk about, but they were doing it so incessantly that she was either going to talk or she was going to end up doing something she'd regret.

She looked up at Koishi's face, and saw genuine concern in her eyes. This was the girl she'd saved from Cirno earlier - what sort of hypocrite would she be if she lost control and took a shot at her now?

Mokou panted a little, as if letting the hot air rise out of her. She sat up and tried to keep the same straight face she always did.

"Look. If you want to know this crap so much, I'll tell you. But I'm pretty sure by the time I'm done with this story you'll be wishing you hadn't wasted money buying me that yakitori."

A hand slid over the table, placing itself over Mokou's. Now Koishi's expression contained a little more determination.

"Please, Fujiwara-san. You were worried sick about me when I was doing badly, so now it's my turn to worry about you, okay?"

Mokou allowed herself a little smirk.

"Heh. You're sorta cute when you're serious, Komeiji-san."

Koishi did her best not to react to that, but a pink tint rose to her cheeks regardless. This earned her another glare from Sango, but fortunately Mokou was too busy to notice the dolphin's envy.

"...OK. This might take a while to explain, but bear with me."

Mokou took a deep breath, mustering up the courage to confess something that could potentially break her. Koishi pressed down a little on her hand, silently cheering her on. At last, words began to seep out from her lips.

"...That Hourai Elixir thing? The ground-breaking product the pharmacy was going on about? That was me. I made that."

* * *

><p>You never made it to the Perfect Diet club, did you? We were hardly the most popular of the clubs, of course. We weren't a sport, or a real hobby, or anything like that. Most people saw us as a bunch of elitist freaks who just wanted to talk about how much healthier we were than everyone else.<p>

That wasn't the point. It was never the point. It had always been our intention to share our secrets one day, to produce one of these miracle cures that pharmacies are always trying to pass off. The difference was that this one would be the real deal - it'd stop wrinkles, keep you looking young, add an extra 5-10 years to your lifespan, blah blah blah.

'Course, that was sort of a pipe dream. We had ideas, maybe, but we never had the finances to pull something like that up. Pharmaceutical companies are crazy-big business these days, and some tiny school-club is gonna have no chance in hell of getting a foot through the door without some help.

And lo and behold, that's exactly what walked through our door a few months ago.

I still remember her face. The piercing brown eyes, the gorgeous black hair that ran down past her waist, the skin untouched by blemishes or spots or anything like that. She was basically the most beautiful girl I'd ever seen, though she'd testify that it was all thanks to whatever anti-aging cream was selling well at the time.

Her name was Kaguya Houraisan, and she told me her dad ran a local pharmacy. It was a small place, but they just about got by. I shared some of our tricks with her, and she'd look out for the ingredients I mentioned when it came to new products. We made a pretty good team.

Then one day, she says she wants to go all the way. She tells me that she trusts me, more than she's ever trusted anyone in the business, and that her dad's got a chem lab at the back of the pharmacy. That miracle cure the club had always wanted to make? This was our big chance.

She swore me to secrecy. She didn't even let her old man know what she was doing. It was all going to be a big surprise, she told me, and the two of us would bask in the riches. This would be the big finish for everything I'd worked on, all those years of testing and experimenting.

The name was Kaguya's idea. Apparently, her old man was pretty insistent about her living up to her namesake - the moon princess, the one who all the men fell in love with on sight - so even when she was a kid she had to focus on looking pretty any time she could. He expected a lot outta her, and she thanked me for my help every two minutes. It was touching, if kinda sad.

So, after a few weeks, and god knows how much testing, we pulled it off. We concocted our Hourai Elixir, and it was everything I ever wanted it to be. It worked great, it was cheap to produce, and there were no side-effects. It was basically set to revolutionise the industry, earn us millions. And what happens?

The bitch goes and steals the idea, that's what.

I caught her talking to her old man about it when she'd told me she was using the bathroom. I only caught a few hints of the conversation, phrases like 'my best work' and 'all for you, daddy' and all that shit. My name never showed up anywhere - she took my masterpiece and claimed she'd come up with the whole damn thing. I stormed out into the room then, asking her what the hell was going on.

She started screaming that I was some sort of thief and told me to get out of the store before she called the cops.

...Well, what could I have done after that? Kaguya had played it smart - she filed patents in her name alone, so I couldn't have filed a lawsuit even if I had the money. The Hourai Elixir was, of course, a massive success, winning awards and turning Eientei into the biggest pharmaceutical company in the country. I got nothing - the bitch wouldn't even let me talk to her about it. I tried God knows how many times to get a hold of her, but nothing. Not even an apology.

I shut the club down pretty soon afterward. People had caught wind of the Hourai Elixir, and how it basically knocked our ideas out of the water. I couldn't tell them I'd helped to make it; that'd just sound petty. That was probably why she had me swear to keep it secret the whole time.

After that, I sorta...stopped caring. Skipped class, lost track of people, didn't notice the kid taking her power a little too far. Everything I'd worked for, everything I'd tried to achieve, I'd done. And it was all going off to some bitch who played me for a fool. Honestly, if I could get my hands on Kaguya right now, I'd beat that pretty face of hers so damn hard that even her own dad wouldn't be able to recognise her.

And that's pretty much my story. The story of a fool who spent her life fulfilling a princess's impossible request, and ended up with nothing even after she achieved her goal.

Bet I don't look like some genius to you anymore, do I? All that crap about perfect diets, and it doesn't stop me being an idiot.

* * *

><p>Mokou's grip on her glass had tightened the further she made it into her story, until Koishi started to worry she was going to snap. Her eyes had clamped themselves shut, but a few trickles still escaped from beneath them despite her best efforts.<p>

"And here you guys are, wasting money on a girl who's got nothing left to offer to the world. You guys are almost as dumb as I am, you know that...?"

Koishi felt her heart coming to rest somewhere on the bottom of her stomach. It had certainly not been a pretty story, and it explained why Mokou had changed so much from what she was before. Even now, when she was at her most vulnerable, the desire for payback was almost rippling off of Mokou. It was an obsession now, one she'd likely dwell on for the rest of her life at this rate.

_"Humans are capable of some pretty mean things, aren't they..."_

Sango didn't put her thought into words, but Koishi heard it loud and clear. She thought it over for a moment, still holding her hand over Mokou's.

_...No. You're wrong._

She sighed.

"Fujiwara-san...no. Mokou-san, I know I shouldn't judge you, but I think you're making a mistake."

Sango and Mokou both flinched a little at that one. Koishi pressed down on the hand a little harder, this time as if to hold her in place.

"You mentioned that this girl was under a lot of pressure from her father, didn't you? Have you considered that it wasn't for her sake she lied to you, but for his? She wanted to make him happy, and using you like that was the only way. It wasn't pride that fuelled her. It was love. Misguided, confused, desperate love, but love nonetheless."

Mokou's hand squirmed a little beneath hers. She didn't want to hear this. She was happier living in her little world of vengeance where she'd been wronged by a heartless bitch looking out for herself. This was adding shades of grey she didn't want to deal with. All that awkwardness did was make Koishi press on harder.

"I'm not trying to defend what Kaguya-san did to you. But you won't be able to put this behind you until you understand why she did it. And think of this - if she was as cruel and heartless as you're making her out to be, why didn't she press charges against you for being a 'thief'? That along with the incident in the store today would easily be enough for her to arrest you, but she hasn't."

By now Mokou was visibly squirming in her seat. It was easier to be angry, and it was easier still if she painted Kaguya as a villain. Now Koishi was forcing her to make hard choices, and she didn't want that. Meanwhile, Sango's face shifter further and further towards amazement.

"Mokou-san. Maybe I'm in no position to say this. I can't even imagine the magnitude of the money you lost out on thanks to this girl. But if you want to make any progress with this, you need to be the bigger woman in this conversation and accept what she did. The problem won't get any easier if you keep your focus on vengenace. I know I'm asking a lot of you, but...forgive her, if you can."

A heaving silence followed, and for all of them it hurt just to breathe. Mokou's squirming had stopped again, and her eyes were closed as she quietly processed what she'd been told. It was a lot to take in; a little too much, maybe, and she started pulling at the tablecloth to try and vent her frustration.

"I...I need to go. Right now."

She pulled her hand away with a quick snap, standing up and making to leave the table. Her eyes were starting to water, worse than they'd been before.

"Ah, wait! Fujiwara-san!"

Mokou turned back, and reacted just quickly enough to catch something being thrown at her. Looking down, she saw that Sango had passed her a plain ring - no engravings, no jewels, nothing. She looked up at the girl who'd thrown it at her.

"I know it isn't much, but if things get really complicated and it feels like you're going under, put that on, okay?"

Mokou stared at Sango in confusion for about half a second. Then the urge to run took over again, and after a hurried nod she made for the exit again, skipping out on her meal.

Sango and Koishi sat in silence for a moment, just looking at the door after she'd long since departed.

"...What sort of ring is that, anyway?"

She started with a side question to try and relieve the tense atmosphere that had emerged. Sango allowed herself to smile a little with that.

"We just call it a Ring of Breath. Magic involves going into lots of places where you don't get your airy goodness, so it's a simple charm to take care of the problem. Magical duels usually take place in a water-like atmosphere because some people decided that it was more graceful or something, so rings like that are pretty much a given."

"Oh. So you gave it to Mokou-san in case-"

"Yeah. Can't be too safe, can we?"

The discussion came to a halt again. Eventually, Sango let out a small sigh.

"Koishi-san...that was amazing."

Koishi shrugged.

"All I did was give an opinion, that's all."

"But most people would've just written that off as an act of malice. Hell, even Fujiwara-san thought that she was getting screwed over, but you were willing to look at it in a different light. That takes a lot of nerve."

Koishi frowned at that one.

"I'm not a hero, Sango-san. I could spout philosophy all I wanted, but it wouldn't help stop a fist coming at my face."

"Good thing you've got me, then, huh?"

A playful nudge on the shoulder was Koishi's cue to lighten up and let things go. She took a deep breath, allowing her stance to slack a little.

"Yeah, you really helped out a lot when it came to Cirno-san, didn't you?"

"Phwee! I'm telling you, she wasn't playing fair! I'm not used to fighting on dry land, dammit!"

Koishi smiled to herself as Sango made excuses. The waitress from before emerged, holding three dishes.

"Here you go. Two mackerel and...didn't you order yakitori?"

"Ah, yeah. Our guest had to leave suddenly. I think she's got a lot to think about."

"Yeah, it's a real shame. Still, more for me, phwee~!"

* * *

><p>She didn't know how the boss had tracked her to Lorelei's, and frankly she didn't care. There was still a good walk between her and the store, but she enjoyed every step of it knowing what was waiting at the end.<p>

Her hand was in her pocket, tightly grasped around the key she'd been handed earlier. A new ring had been placed around her finger, apparently as some sort of precaution.

She didn't bother waiting to think about any of that. Right now there was only one thought on her mind, driving her forward with every step.

_Time to find out who the real idiot is, Mokou Fujiwara. I'm coming for you._


	10. Song

Mokou wasn't quite sure what she was thinking as she stepped out of the restaurant. Her feet moved on their own, not caring where they went as long as it was away. She couldn't stand being in that place for a moment longer, not if it meant having to talk more about that.

It wasn't because Koishi had been wrong in her judgement. She had been more right than Mokou had been willing to admit.

She was angry. Who could blame her for that? She'd seen her life's work come to fruition, only to have it taken from her by the girl she had trusted to make her dreams come true. In the space of a few weeks, she'd gained everything she'd ever wanted and lost it all at once. Going through a roller-coaster of emotions like that, who wouldn't snap a little inside? Who wouldn't just paint someone the villain to justify how they felt?

And anger wasn't just relieving. It was simple. When Kaguya ruined her, there was no difficulty whatsoever in turning to the supposed culprit and declaring her to be the scum of the earth. Koishi was asking her to do something much, much harder - she was being asked to forgive Kaguya for what she'd done.

In the end, the facts were simple. Kaguya had lied to her, and screwed her out of her life's work. She'd cost her millions, and taken away everything she'd ever worked for. Now she was being asked to kiss and make up with her? Bullshit.

She'd been worried about Kaguya once. About how every other word out of her mouth was about her father and how he had such high expectations. But she hadn't been ready for the girl to outright betray her like she did - if anything, that concern just meant that being betrayed hurt that much more. There was no opinion about it - she had been cheated.

_Just stop thinking about this, you moron. If it hurts, then why bother?_

A voice in the back of her head whispered promises of relief. It was perfectly possible for her to just disagree with everything Koishi had said to her. She could just ignore the so-called 'advice' she'd been offered. She could stay in her own little world where she was the valiant hero who'd been stabbed in the back.

It was tempting. Very tempting. Mokou spent a long time pondering its offer, almost ready to disregard the monologue she'd been given.

An image flashed in front of her eyes the moment before she gave in.

_"Mokou-tan."_

She grabbed at her head as if she'd been wounded. She didn't want to see this, not now, not ever. It was just going to hurt her if she thought about this too much, so why couldn't she look away?

_"Mokou-tan...we did it."_

It had started now, and she knew there was no way of stopping it. The film began to run inside Mokou's head, still playing out in full view no matter how hard she closed her eyes. There was only one image, being played on endless repeat.

Kaguya was looking at the final mixture and holding it up to the sky, her eyes glistening with tears.

_"Mokou-tan. This is...it's wonderful. We'll make millions with it, revolutionise the market, win every award that they've ever invented...in fact, they might have to invent a few new ones just for this."_

She continued to stare in awe at the elixir, treating it like the most beautiful thing she'd seen in her life. Mokou had smiled at the pure, raw happiness running across her face.

_"And I'm betting your old man will be glad to hear you helped out with this, won't he?"_

Kaguya's face had shifted then, looking conflicted. She bit her lip suddenly, nervous.

_"Um...yes. Of course."_

She'd thought nothing of it at the time, and indeed by the time the deed was done that memory was all but gone from her mind. Looking back now, though, Mokou could practically taste the guilt that was wracking Kaguya's face as she prepared to betray her.

Mokou was vaguely aware she'd walked into some back alley, away from the main path. She was alone here, so no-one around noticed as she started to violently ram her head into the wall.

_Get the hell out of my head, Kaguya!_

It hurt. It hurt like hell. She didn't care, she just wanted this thought to go away. The more she looked at that face, the less Kaguya looked like a heartless monster, and the more she looked like a stupid girl who made a stupid choice to win over her daddy.

She didn't want Kaguya to have an explanation. Explanations meant she was just human, and they meant Mokou would have to pity Kaguya instead of holding the grudge. But forgiveness was hard, so much harder than just staying angry.

But anger was becoming less and less of an option.

_Shit...it's too late now, isn't it?_

She stopped trying to beat the thought out of her head, and slid to her knees with her hands still against the wall. A few quiet tears fell onto her lap as she grit her teeth so hard she thought they would shatter.

_...What would I have done?_

It was a question she didn't want to ask herself, but she asked it anyway. She tried to picture the situation from Kaguya's point of view - daughter of a successful pharmacist, father obsessed with beauty and success, expected great things out of her, but she didn't have the spark of genius she desperately needed. Suddenly someone shows up with the idea she's been looking for, needing help to take it beyond the conceptual stage.

Would she have been able to resist the temptation? Could she honestly have given credit to someone else if it was her own father who was looming down on her, expecting her to move mountains in his name?

It hurt to admit, but she couldn't honestly answer 'yes' to that question. Maybe what Kaguya had done was wrong, but to an extent she understood it.

She laughed to herself, in that forgotten back alley separated from the rest of the world. All that time she'd spent making her body strong, and her heart was still so puny.

"...Yeah. I guess I've been an idiot this whole time, haven't I?"

She gave up on even kneeling, and fell backwards into a puddle. A grey sky hung over her - dry, but threatening to burst into rain at any time. She felt powerless for the first time in months - this was too much for her right now, she thought. She couldn't bring herself to forgive Kaguya with a heart this weak.

So she decided she would have to learn. It would be painful, and it would be difficult, but it was the only sensible choice. She'd learn nothing by letting her hatred simmer for the rest of her life.

There was no brilliant declaration, no cry to the heavens. Just a simple, murmured promise to no-one in particular.

"I'm gonna get over myself. Someday, I'm gonna look her in the eye and tell her that I understand what she did. I swear on it."

Every word carried a tone of determination that only the most heartfelt wish could carry. She felt something welling up in her chest, like her emotions were manifesting in front of her.

It took her a moment to realise that wasn't just a clever simile.

"...The hell?"

Something had suddenly..._appeared_ in her shirt's chest pocket. She couldn't find any other word for it - there'd been nothing, and now there was something. She never even used the pocket in question, but she could definitely feel a little weight pressing down on her. Pulling herself back to her feet, she reached inside and pulled out an object just smaller than her finger.

Some kinda jewel? Never seen one this colour, though...

It was shaped like a tear, and a brilliant crimson colour ran through it. There were no cracks or faults, the gem's bottom curving in a perfect arc. In terms of jewellery, it was an absolute masterpiece.

She would probably have examined it for a few minutes longer if a voice hadn't called out for her.

"You're a hard girl to find, y'know that? It's a good thing I caught you walking down here, or I'd have never caught you."

Another figure stepped in from the opening of the alley. It was a figure Mokou hadn't expected to see again for some time - not until after a whole lot of soul searching, anyway. She sighed, as she placed the gem back into the chest pocket.

"Kid, please tell me you aren't here for a rematch. I don't wanna have to do something I'll regret, but you're working away at my options."

Cirno didn't offer a response, simply strolling towards Mokou with a straight smile on her face. Her hands were in her pockets, as if to mock Mokou's stance, and her eyes were looking right into hers with total confidence. Impossible confidence, the sort that no human would be able to walk into a fair fight with.

"Oh, you can do whatever the hell you like. This time, I've got an ace or two up my sleeve."

Immediately, Mokou's mind drew the only logical conclusion it could.

_She's armed, isn't she?_

She'd been cornered in a back alley, of all places. She grit her teeth again, focusing on Cirno's hands and getting ready to disarm her the instant her hand left her pocket. She'd grab the arm, deflect the stab, and smack the wrist to knock the weapon out of her hand. Simple, but effective.

One of Cirno's hands ruffled around in her pocket. Mokou reacted on instinct alone, snatching at the arm before she could do any damage. Cirno was barely able to pull her hand out before Mokou stopped it dead.

It was empty.

What the?!

Cirno smirked, pulling her head next to Mokou's. A few words slipped into her ear, words that may as well have been in another language for how much sense they made to her.

"The Claw descends on Mokou Fujiwara."

An instant passed.

Then, to the rest of the world, the alley was empty.

* * *

><p>"Bleh. How can you people eat this stuff?"<p>

Sango had quickly decided that yakitori wasn't for her, leaving the dish almost untouched at the empty seat. She washed away the taste quickly with a gratuitous helping of mackerel, helped down with a single gulp of water. A few customers glared at her for her table manners (or lack thereof), while Koishi kept her head down and worked through her meal slowly.

"You're going to give yourself a stomach ache eating like that."

Sango looked up, confused.

"What're you talking about? I eat this stuff in one bite all the time out at sea. Can't be that different, surely."

Koishi didn't even bother to sigh at that one. She decided to just let her eat the meal however she wanted. She'd learn the lesson either way, though this way would be a little more painful.

She glanced around the restaurant, looking for anyone her age who'd be another potential Siren. No-one seemed to be a viable candidate though, and the only person she recognised was Professor Kawashiro in a rather tight-looking blue dress, holding what looked to be a glass of wine in her hand. She was muttering to no-one in particular about fractions and how they were a crime against humanity, swirling her glass but never actually taking a sip. She turned over to Koishi for a moment, offering her an infantile wave.

Koishi promptly looked away in embarrassment.

_I'm not her student, I'm not her student..._

Sango, of course, had been unaware of this exchange. She was too busy digging into her meal to care about interactions with tipsy teachers. The knife and fork were still sitting on the table, untouched, as she swallowed a piece of fish that seemed larger than her mouth.

"Mm...that's some good stuff. And I know good fish when I see it, trust m-"

Sango's boast never finished, as a sudden jolt of energy struck her body. She stood straight upright, eyes widened in shock, as her hands slammed into the table. Koishi's first thought was that the food had gone down the wrong way, but the hand grabbing her by the collar put paid to that thought.

"We need to go. Right now."

Sango's voice was deadly serious, a tone that Koishi had never really heard from her before. That was enough to convince her that whatever the problem was, it was worth leaving a meal half eaten.

"What's happening, Sango-san?"

"Can't you hear it?"

Koishi allowed Sango to haul her out of Lorelei's as she pondered the question. "Hear what?"

"Touch the Teardrop. Then you'll get it."

There was still no sign of the normal cheer in Sango's voice, which disturbed Koishi to no end. She reached into her pocket and pressed a single finger against the jewel held within.

Immediately a new sound burst to life, and she flinched at to its intensity. It was a voice, singing a single note with perfect pitch and tone. It was a beautiful call, and one that was more than a little familiar to Koishi.

"That's-"

Sango smiled a little as she saw the recognition on Koishi's face.

"Yup. The Siren is singing. Looks like she made her wish without us."

The path Sango pulled her down ran away from the beaten path, and into a series of alleys. Mokou must have walked down here to think things over, Koishi thought to herself. She held onto the Teardrop, listening to Mokou's voice all the way.

It came to an abrupt stop when they were nearby.

"Ah?!"

Sango's eyes widened again. This time, Koishi could definitely make out a hint of fear.

"Dammit, the Claw got to her first?! How is that even possible!?"

They reached their destination, a distant back alley that no-one in the city would have had a reason to visit. Even a cursory glance was enough to reveal that there was no-one here, though, and Sango grit her teeth.

"OK, OK, calm down. It's gotta be here somewhere..."

Sango fell to her knees, looking around the shadows for something. Koishi simply stood behind her, tilting her head in confusion.

"Sango-san, what are you looking for?"

"They've spirited her away into a freaking magic duel. She's gonna have no chance there on her own, so we've gotta follow her."

"Follow her? But how? Do I need to challenge you to a fight or something?!"

Koishi was panicking, and she knew it. Mokou was in danger, possibly deadly danger, and she was powerless to help yet again. Sango continued to lurk in the shadows, running her hands along the ground.

"No, we need to find their Duel Marker."

"...What, now?"

"You can't just challenge another magician to a fight without leaving something behind. It's a little orb thingy called a Duel Marker, and we can use it to jump in on the fight."

"That doesn't sound like a very fair way to duel."

"Well, it's so you can haul someone powerless off without anyone being able to intervene-wait, here it is!"

Sango scrambled to her feet again, holding up a light blue sphere the size of her hand. It pulsed slightly in her grip as she ran over to Koishi, her uniform covered in dirt.

"OK, Koishi-san. Hold onto this, and get ready to work your magic at any moment."

Koishi obeyed the order, placing one hand on the orb and the other in her pocket, closing it around the Teardrop. Sango placed a hand over Koishi's, and muttered what must have been some sort of entry password.

"The Pearl emerges to aid Mokou Fujiwara."

Koishi only had a moment to notice the flash of light.

The alley was deserted once again, save for a light blue sphere rolling along the ground.

* * *

><p>The world Mokou emerged in was similar to the one she'd just left. It was the same alley in the back streets of Gensouto, abandoned and empty.<p>

The main differences were the new shade of blue the world had taken, and the fact that she was now roughly fifty feet above the ground.

"Aglb-"

She made to shout, but an awkward gurgling noise rising up was enough to convince her that was a bad move. She floated in place, so there was no immediate threat of falling, but all that did was freak her out even more.

_Did I fall asleep in the alley or something?_

This had to be a dream. It was the only logical option - the world around her was too absurd, too crazy. That, or the world had apparently flooded in the last thirty seconds, which was equally nonsensical.

Then again, dreams weren't supposed to feel this real. Mokou could feel the water (was it even water?) brushing against her skin, just cold enough to keep her attentive to the feeling. A few bubbles slipped out from her nose, rising upwards into the distance above. Only now did Mokou realise that there was no sun here - but at the same time, she could see perfectly. Another little bit of madness to throw on top of everything else.

"Hey, what's the matter? Need a moment to catch your breath?"

A voice bellowed out behind her, and only now did Mokou remember that someone had been clinging onto her before the world changed. Turning back, she caught sight of Cirno floating above the city as well, though she didn't seem to have the same breathing problem that Mokou did.

Except...was it Cirno? No, it couldn't have been. Cirno didn't have bright blue hair that colour. And she certainly didn't have...holy crap, were those wings?

_OK, I've lost it. I'm checking myself into an asylum when I wake up from this._

Her chest was starting to hurt a little. A few more bubbles flew out from between her lips as she let out a muffled moan. Cirno seemed to be enjoying her suffering, fluttering around gleefully in the water.

"Not so tough now, are you? Don't worry, this is all pretty new to me as well, but I've gotta say it's been a breath of fresh air for me."

If she weren't busy focusing on all the other weird things happening, Mokou would have probably punched Cirno in the face just for her horrible taste in puns. She started checking her pockets for anything that could help out before she started having serious trouble keeping her breath in.

Her hand clutched around a simple metal ring.

_...if things get really complicated and it feels like you're going under, put that on, okay?_

Sango's words from earlier suddenly rung in her head, and Mokou was slightly disturbed by how much they seemed to fit this situation. Hell, maybe that wasn't what she'd said at all, and she was just remembering it as such to fit the dream.

Whatever. If those were the sort of rules this dream worked on, she'd just have to follow them. She yanked the ring out of her pocket, and quickly jammed it on her middle finger. The pain in her chest faded away soon afterward, and she found herself breathing without much of a hassle.

Mokou's response to all this was about as verbose as could have been expected given the situation.

"Holy **fuck.**"

Cirno's face fell promptly when it became clear that Mokou had stopped dying. She scratched her head for a second, puzzled.

"Where the hell did you get that thing...? Eh, whatever. Doesn't really matter."

She reached into her own pocket, pulling out a golden key and flaunting it in front of Mokou. She got a puzzled glare in return as Mokou raised an eyebrow.

_Great, now my dream is throwing crappy symbolism at me._

Cirno smiled as she lifted the key upwards, holding it above her chest. There was something slightly wrong in her eyes, Mokou thought - something different, something that didn't belong. Weren't they usually a lighter shade of blue than that?

"A good friend of mine lent me one of these. Now you're gonna get to see how strong I really am!"

She stabbed it into her chest, but if it had hurt there was no sign of it on her face. She continued to wear an expression of absolute confidence as she pushed the key all the way into herself, right over where her own heart was.

She turned the handle, and immediately the key began to shine with a golden light. It travelled along Cirno's body until Mokou could see nothing more than a brilliant mass of gold. A single drop of black appeared in its centre, and quickly spread across her until there was no sign of the original brightness. Cirno was encased in a jet-black shell, like some sort of demonic crysalis.

The black mass began to crack, slowly at first, until suddenly it burst open to reveal its prisoner. The tiny wings that had run across her back before were twice as long now, and the ice that formed them looked stronger and firmer. Her clothes had changed as well - the main dark-blue fabric clung to her body to start with, but turned into a dress around the bottom with a jagged white rim. Along her arms ran a pair of sleeves made of pure ice, forming a pair of threating-looking shoulder pads at their ends. She held her hands outwards, unhindered by the weight of her sleeves, and above them a pair of icy needles formed with frightening speed.

"Feast your eyes on Cirno, the strongest of the Ice Fairies!"

She flung both her projectiles at Mokou, one after the other. Both had been aimed precisely at her head, and unused to combat in a watery environment she was barely able to pull her head away from the oncoming attacks. One of the needles barely grazed her cheek, drawing blood and forcing her to stifle a cry of pain.

That was when her brain finally came to a conclusion. It was a conclusion that all of her higher brain functions wanted to deny, but the lower, primal functions had forced them to admit with that wave of pain.

_This isn't a dream. This is the real deal._

_And she's trying to kill me!_


	11. Phoenix

Cirno smirked, seeing fear begin to rise on Mokou's face.

"Good to see you at least managed to dodge the first one, at least. It'd be a real shame if you went down too easy."

She clicked her fingers, and the water in front of her began to solidify. A frozen blade slowly took shape, and she clutched its hilt with the stance of a master.

"Now, how about we get a little more serious?"

She swung the weapon in Mokou's direction, firing an icy arc towards her at breakneck speed. Again Mokou's escape was by the slimmest of margins, and she heard her sleeve tear as the projectile swung past her arm.

_How the hell am I supposed to fight back?!_

Her opponent apparently had shiny magical powers, and Mokou had absolutely nothing to respond with. Even getting close didn't seem to be an option anymore, looking at that weapon Cirno was carrying - even if it was made of ice, that blade looked ridiculously sharp.

"Aw, what's wrong? Where's your fighting spirit? I thought you said I'd let you down!"

Cirno's voice rose to an almost maniacal pitch as she swung the sword relentlessly, forcing Mokou to make one close-call after another. She could feel it more with every word - something was wrong with her. This wasn't the Cirno she'd taught to look after herself. This wasn't even the Cirno who she'd put down in the schoolyard earlier.

"Ah-!"

Mokou had been distracted, and didn't put quite enough effort into dodging that last one. The icy line had cut against her side, and she could make out a pool of blood forming on her shirt. She grabbed at it, wincing and resisting the urge to throw out every profanity she knew.

"Hmph. You're a real disappointment, you know that?"

Cirno's face lost its interest in an instant, ready to discard Mokou like a toy. She wielded her blade again, but this time she stabbed it in Mokou's direction. The blade stretched outward at Cirno's command, lunging forwards long after it should have stopped.

It was slow enough that she could dodge the attack easily for a change, but at the last moment the blade swooped downwards and smacked against her leg. It didn't hurt - in fact, there was a feeling of numbness around the point of impact, like it had been frozen.

It was a feeling that quickly began to spread.

"Can you hear that, Fujiwara-san? Ice coming together always makes such a pretty sound."

Mokou would have begged to differ. Looking down at the icy tendrils starting to run across her leg, she started beating at them furiously with her fists. All the effort earned her was tired knuckles. As the ice continued to envelop her feet, its weight was enough to pull her deeper into the water.

"I'm gonna be merciful to you, Fujiwara-san. Maybe you'll get another chance...in a million years or so."

Cirno let out a cackle as she watched Mokou sink. The ice had engulfed her legs, and it was only getting faster. With no clear way to escape, Mokou's panic gave way to tired resignation.

_Dammit...you're telling me I've already lost without so much as a fight?_

What sort of scam was this? Her opponent was some magical girl, and she didn't have so much as a butterknife to help her out. She reached into her pocket again as the ice passed her waist, pulling out the scarlet gem she'd come across earlier.

_Never did find out what this thing was, did I..._

She examined it for a moment, unable to take her eyes off it as the ice formed around her neck. She was given no choice after it covered her face, and her hand locked into place as at last the attack enveloped her completely.

The icy cage descended to earth with a loud thump, leaving Mokou trapped inside. She had long since given up on freeing herself, ready to succumb to her fate as a human popsicle for the next couple of millenia.

She never heard the voice calling for her from far above.

* * *

><p>"Mokou-san!"<p>

Koishi had only emerged in time to witness the last moments of the fight, seeing Mokou sink frozen into the depths of this pseudo-Gensouto. Her cry immediately informed Cirno of her presence.

"K-Komeiji?! No-one told me you were in on this!"

Cirno's new getup was enough to catch Koishi's attention for an instant, but nothing more than that. There was no time to hesitate. Looking to her side, Koishi saw that Sango had already taken on her dolphin form, ready for combat.

_"Say the word!"_

Koishi reached into her pocket, pulling out her Teardrop and lifting it upwards into the sky. Cirno simply watched on, still dumbfounded simply by the fact that Koishi had even arrived here, let alone what she was doing.

"Wherever evil forces be,  
>On the land or in the sea,<br>All who sin should cower and flee  
>From Dolphin Rider Koishi!"<p>

This was becoming disturbingly regular, but Koishi didn't have time to think about things like that. The transformation played out in full, each step puzzling Cirno more and more. As it came to an end, Koishi took her place on Sango's back, pointing her trident straight at the enemy.

"Halt, villain! I, Dolphin Rider Koishi, have emerged to put a stop to your evil deeds!"

For once, she was okay with it being so thoroughly melodramatic. Now that there was a life at stake, she was ready to put her all into this.

"In the name of the sea, prepare to be punished!"

Cirno finally snapped out of her bewilderment, quickly growing a snarl on the face of hers.

"You little...what're you trying to do, coming in with some fancy speech and a fishy steed?! You trying to act like you're cooler than me?!"

_"Dolphins aren't fish, moron!"_

Sango couldn't pass on her complaints directly, but Koishi heard them loud and clear. Rather than granting Cirno a fight, though, she ordered Sango to dive down into the alley where Mokou's body had fallen. Making sure she survived was the first priority, villain or no.

An icy blade lashed out inches in front of them, stopping them dead in their tracks.

"Hey, don't you DARE try to ignore me! I'm the one worth your attention, not that stupid has-been!"

Cirno's voice was different than Koishi remembered it - there was an arrogant tone that hadn't been there before, even during her worst times. Now she sounded like a self-righteous maniac, and that was frightening.

"Dammit, you make me sick with all your razmatazz! Get the hell out of my sight!"

Cirno clicked her fingers, and the water behind her filled up with dozens of icy needles. Each one was pointed in Koishi's direction, all unimaginably sharp. There was no doubt about it - she was fighting with intent to kill.

She clicked her fingers again, and a rain of needles descended upon Koishi.

_Sango! Can you see an opening?!_

The dolphin quickly examined the oncoming barrage of needles, searching for a hole large enough for them to slip through. For all her apparent strength, Cirno was still a beginner - there was no way she could have made a fool-proof attack already.

_"There!"_

Sango suddenly darted to the left, to a single point where almost every needle passed by them unfazed. Koishi only had a single projectile to worry about, aimed at her neck, and that one was easily dealt with after a quick swing with her trident.

Cirno practically screamed with fury.

"Dammit, dammit, dammit! You aren't supposed to dodge!"

She started firing arcs of ice with her blade at high speed, but unlike her opponent beforehand Sango was suited to fighting in this environment. The pair drifted around the oncoming swipes, moving swiftly but never in any real danger.

"Sango-san, what happened?! Is Cirno-san really trying to kill us?!"

_"...That's not her, Koishi-san. See her eyes?"_

Koishi hadn't been looking properly, but now that Sango pointed it out she could see that Cirno's eyes were several shades darker than they'd been before. Her face seemed to have lost its normal fluidity, jumping between elation and fury at the drop of a hat, and unable to take on any emotion in between.

_"She's been Mindcoiled."_

Koishi looked down for a moment.

"Mindcoiled?"

_"The Claw don't take risks with their recruitments. When they take a human into their ranks, they slip a little creature called a Mindcoil into their brain. It locks itself around whatever emotions will keep the target under their control, and stops anything else from ever crossing their mind."_

Koishi looked back into Cirno's eyes as she continued to swing and miss with her icy arcs. They were manic, on the brink of insane. Any logical human would at least have shown a hint of hesitation or mercy, and all of her ego aside Cirno had never had the nerve to kill. Now, though, that human side of her was out the window - her desire to be the strongest had overridden everything else, and if that meant killing off the opposition then so be it.

She was convinced now. The Black Claw were monsters. Robbing people of their free will and making them do their bidding - that was just plain unforgivable.

"We don't have time for this, though! Mokou-san...Mokou-san is-!"

Maybe she'd managed to avoid drowning, but Mokou was still going to freeze to death if they didn't do something fast. Before that, though, they had to keep Cirno distracted for a while.

"OK, no more games! Looks like I'm gonna need to make two popsicles today!"

Cirno gave up on her swiping attacks, preparing to use the lunging attack that had brought Mokou to an icy end. They couldn't even afford to get touched by that thing, or they'd be getting dug out along with Mokou in the distant future.

_Wait a second..._

An idea jumped into Koishi's head as Cirno began to stab in her direction. This time, she couldn't give the plan away to her enemy, though, so she passed on the message through thought to Sango.

Waiting until the very last moment, the pair dodged to the side and narrowly avoided the oncoming ice blade. Cirno let out a slight grunt, quickly shifting the blade around to chase them through the water. Sango raced on, keeping a few inches ahead of its tip at all times as the sword chased her relentlessly.

There was no use in them running, Cirno thought to herself. She could make this sword as long as she wanted, so she'd have to catch them eventually. Even if they swung to her side...then behind her...then back around in front of her again...then to her side...

"...Wait."

Cirno was too slow in putting the pieces of the puzzle together, and by the time she had figured out Koishi's plan it had already been put into motion. The blade began to wrap itself around its owner, and its momentum was enough to tie her down quite nicely.

"H-Hey! No fair! You can't use my own weapons against me!"

She struggled against her own icy chains, immune to their freezing touch but not to their grip. Koishi coiled back around again, sticking her tongue out to the trapped Cirno.

"Take a moment to cool off!"

_"...Koishi-san, that was terrible."_

_No time for criticism!_

Horrible puns aside, there were other matters to be dealing with. Sango dove down into the alley, towards the icy statue of Mokou. She wasn't moving, and indeed Koishi wasn't sure if she even could move.

Fortunately, the Teardrop was already in her hand, so all she had to do was tell her to use it. But could she even hear her through the ice now?

_Only one way to find out!_

* * *

><p>Shit, it's cold...<p>

Of course it was cold. It was ice. What had she expected? It was worse in that it hung against her body so tightly she didn't even have room to shiver. By now her face was going blue, and her body was starting to go painfully numb.

She made out a thumping sound. Someone banging against the ice? Was it the future already?

"...an! ...u-san!"

No, this wasn't the future. Unless people in the future sounded like...Koishi?

"...Mokou-san! Mokou-san!"

She couldn't see it, but she pictured Koishi beating at the ice with her fists and having no more success than Mokou did. It was enough to bring Mokou back into awareness when she'd been ready to pass out, but she still felt powerless in this icy prison.

"The Teardrop! Use the Teardrop!"

Teardrop? Was she meant to cry herself out or something? That was going to be pretty hard when her eyes were closed.

_...Or...does she mean this?_

Her hand pressed down on the Teardrop slightly. It stung, but in a good way - it felt like she was touching a fire, but with all of the warmth and none of the pain.

It was just the feeling she needed, and before she knew it she was clutching at it with all her strength.

_Screw logic. If this works, it works!_

The crimson Teardrop began to shine. Its light slipped through the first cracks in Mokou's icy prison, and Koishi pulled backwards as she covered her eyes.

Then, in an instant, the ice shattered completely, a ball of fire bursting from within. Koishi could only make out Mokou's darkened silhouette from within, but just like her own first time it looked like it was running on automatic.

"Alright, time to crack some skulls! Fujiyama Phoenix, Rise!"

On the last note, a pair of brilliant golden wings sprouted from Mokou's back, this time reaching their full length. The flames along them burned brightly, even as the fire around Mokou came to a rest. Her clothes had been burned away by the heat, but the flames continued to burn around her chest, finally fading to reveal a red tank-top with a golden phoenix engraved on it. Beneath that, the last smouldering flames disappeared from her pants, charred black and burnt away to the extent they may as well have been shorts. An armband appeared on her shoulder, sporting what looked to be half of a feather, and a pair of gritty combat boots had neatly slipped onto her feet. Behind her, her long silver hair was kept under control by a single ribbon.

"Inferno Gauntlet, Set!"

She raised one hand upward, and around it a red fingerless glove started to form, with a set of dull grey jewels inlaid on them. As she clicked her fingers, the gems burst into life, humming slightly as they turned a brilliant shade of white. As she lifted her other hand and clicked likewise, Koishi noticed there was no weapon coming into existence like her trident - Mokou was her own weapon.

And of course, all of this was fire was being lit underwater. Sometimes Koishi wished magic could at least make the tiniest bit of sense.

"Heh. So a little birdie told me that there was some action going on around here."

Mokou cracked her knuckles, letting her neck twist around with a few audible clicks. Her stance slackened a little as she raised her fists in the traditional stance of the brawler.

"And when it comes to beating down some bad guys, I'm your first point of call! Fujiyama Phoenix, present and accounted for!"

She sounded determined and confident, as if none of this was a surprise to her. Of course, that feeling quickly wore off as the transformation sequence came to an end, and Mokou regained awareness. She stayed in her stance, but her eyes darted around with a sudden confusion before landing on Koishi.

"...Huh? Komeiji-san, what the hell is with that getup?"

She took a moment to absorb the swimsuit-like outfit, the fancy gloves, the hefty-looking trident, and of course the fact that Koishi was riding a dolphin of all things. She jumped between confusion and amazement at high speed, not sure whether to be shocked or puzzled.

Suddenly, she was very worried about looking down at herself. If she was wearing something ridiculous like that, she'd never live it down. With a good deal of effort, she managed to talk herself into seeing what sort of outfit she'd been landed with.

"...Yeah, can I go back into that ice block now?"

Koishi would have taken a moment to grin at that one, but a sound from far off distracted her. It was the sound of ice shattering, loud enough to be audible even from over here.

Cirno had broken out.

"You've gotta be kidding me! You're telling me every stupid has-been gets a cool sequence like that?! You guys are all just copycats, you hear me?!"

The ice sword reformed in her grip, its million fragments coming back together in a matter of seconds. She wasn't set to fall for the same trick again, but this time she wouldn't need to worry about that.

"But guess what?! A cat cornered in an alley can't do a thing! Try to dodge THIS!"

Another wall of needles emerged behind her, ready to fly into the alley and impale its inhabitants. This time there wasn't enough room for Sango's agility to be of any use, and as the wall started to collapse on them Koishi lifted up her trident in a vain attempt to clear the way.

"Get down!"

Mokou was running on pure instinct as she charged towards Koishi, letting her wings fold in front of her to shield the trio. The needles slammed into it with the usual deadly force, but the instant they came into contact with the flaming barrier they collapsed harmlessly into steam. The ground at their sides was riddled with blows that they couldn't possibly have survived, but beneath Mokou's wings none of the intended targets had suffered as much as a scratch.

Cirno was furious.

"Dammit! You people are cheating! I could take you one-on-one any time, but now you're just being cowards by teaming up. Stop being so weak!"

Koishi was tempted to argue that fighting an unarmed opponent wasn't much better, but Mokou darted forward before she could speak. This wasn't her fight anymore.

"...Kid, you think I'm gonna let her get in the way of this? I'm gonna get payback for you trying to make me into the next abominable snowman, and if she knows what's best for her she'll stay the hell outta my way."

Mokou looked down at Koishi with a cocky glare. These didn't come to her often, so seeing just how confident Mokou was in her chances won Koishi's trust even more.

"Don't worry. I've got this one."

Letting Koishi go, Mokou leaped upwards as her wings started to flap, quickly bringing her up to Cirno's height. The ice fairy had the expression of a child who had just lost at a playground game, pouting as she readied her weapon once again. There was a hint of desperation in her voice as she stuttered out a response.

"Y-You got lucky! I'm not gonna go easy on you this time, you hear?!"

She ran a finger across the blade, and it began to hum as it glowed a light shade of blue. Readying it, she swung at Mokou with all her might, drawing an arc that was faster and deadlier than any of its predecessors. It was homing in on her, so any attempt at escape was pointless.

From where Mokou was standing, it may as well have been moving in slow motion.

"Inferno Gauntlet, Counter Mode."

The jewels on her gloves faded slightly, shifting to a light blue hue. Her stance tightened a little as she watched the arc fly towards her, waiting for just the right moment to respond. This was a science, and the slightest mishap would lead to all sorts of painful consequences.

_Now!_

She struck out at the projectile, stopping it within inches of her face. Sparks flew from the glove where it touched the arc, and Mokou's arm tensed slightly as it kept the attack in check. The armband began to glow as the attack pressed into her glove, the feather attached to it growing to full size.

"Inferno Gauntlet..."

The jewels started to heat up again, turning bright red. Mokou looked up at the stunned Cirno, offering her a simple smile.

"Return To Sender."

The jewels fired, releasing jets of flame that quickly doused Cirno's projectile. As the icy arc melted, a new attack rose from its ashes - a fire-crafted phoenix, bursting through the water and retreading the arc's path. It screeched as it descended upon Cirno, looking set to eat her alive.

"Kyah!"

A last-minute block with her blade was all that stopped Cirno from taking the attack head-on, but it only hit with enough force to push her back a few inches. There was a dent in her sword where the firebird had melted it, and this time it wasn't coming back together. Her eyes stared obsessed at the flaw, her cockiness starting to give way to sheer panic.

"No, no, no! This isn't supposed to happen! I'm the strongest, dammit! **THE STRONGEST!**"

She grabbed the blade in both hands this time, focusing her attention on the hilt. It was clear now that was staking everything on this next attack, and her face was caught somewhere between horror and rage.

"Now I'm REALLY gonna kill you! PERFECT FREEZE!"

The blade shattered in her hands, collapsing into hundreds of crystalline shards that flew in every direction. Mokou was only immediately threatened by one or two, but they moved fast enough that she had to work to dodge them, punching them out before they could do any damage. The rest of them slowly drifted to a halt, hanging motionlessly in the water.

There was a demented smile on Cirno's face as she held her hands upward, commanding the shards to move at her will. Mokou's eyes widened in realisation as they began to turn, each and every one of them pointed towards her.

"So long, Mokou Fujiwara! It's pincushion time!"

She swung her hands forward in a fluid, dramatic motion, and the shards collapsed inwards onto Mokou.

"Shi-"

The girl didn't even have time to scream.

"MOKOU-SAN!"

Koishi could do nothing but watch as the attack rained down on her ally, stabbing her dozens of times with unforgiving force. The closest Mokou could offer to a reaction was a choked cough, spitting out a few drops of blood before her body gave in entirely. She fell backwards, and she floated limp in the water with wounds running across her whole length. There was probably more blood seeping out of her body now than was still inside it.

Cirno's expression could only be described as sheer joy.

"She...she's dead! She's dead! I won! I actually won!"

She swam over to Mokou's body, still seeing no response from her. She kicked hard at the corpse, feeling it offer no resistance to her.

"What's the matter, Fujiwara-san? I thought you were so confident that you were the real fighter here! That stupid face of yours...I hated it! You look better when you're dead, you know that?!"

She started laughing - no, cackling. This wasn't a laugh any sane person could perform. There was a wicked glint in her eyes as she continued to slam her foot into the corpse, laughing like it was the only thing she knew how to do.

"Well, this was all to be expected, wasn't it? After all, I'm the strongest. Losers like you who try to make me look like a weakling _deserve_ to die! Let this be a lesson to all you wannabes - **no-one screws with Cirno and lives**!"

She lost herself in a victory monologue, still absent-mindedly kicking at the body. Beneath them, Koishi struggled to fight back tears, clinging onto Sango for comfort.

_She...she can't be..._

That feeling of dread hung for longer than Koishi could imagine. Sango glanced up at her, unable to come up with a single word of comfort. All she could do was watch as Cirno continued to desecrate Mokou's remains.

"...Ah? What's that...?"

On Mokou's arm, the armband from earlier - it was glowing. The feather attached to it was shining gold, and the light was starting to run down her arm. It passed over the first of her many wounds, still bleeding from the shard of ice stabbed into it, but as it moved onward Mokou's skin appeared completely untouched. It was as if she had never been hurt at all, and the light continued to do its repair job as it moved further down.

A glimmer of hope rose in Koishi's eyes.

_She's...she's...!_

The light even went so far as to repair the cuts in Mokou's outfit, and by the time it had finished traveling her body she looked as good as new. The armband faded, its feather slowly crumbling into dust now that it had expended its energy. Cirno remained blissfully unaware, continuing to kick at Mokou like a ragdoll.

A hand quickly caught her by the heel.

"Kicking your opponent while she's down? That's pretty bad manners, kid."

Cirno's face jumped again, from happiness to utter shock. Mokou was looking up at her with the same quiet smile as always - presumably, her outgoing confidence was for when she could afford to take a hit or two.

"N-No...no! I killed you, I killed you! You weren't supposed to get back up! I won! You're...you're cheating!"

Cirno tried to pull back, but Mokou had her in her grip. Without her sword there was no way she could use any of her stronger techniques, and she'd lost that casting Perfect Freeze.

"Well, you've got a point there. You killed me, alright."

She pulled Cirno down to her level with one hand, priming the other to take a swing at Cirno's face.

"Too bad I got better."

It was a jaw-breaking right hook, hitting with enough force to knock Cirno out instantly. The fairy, unarmed and undone, fell backwards in the same way Mokou had, her wings fluttering slightly out of reflex.

For all intents and purposes, the fight was over.

"Mokou-san!"

Koishi immediately swam up to the victor, leaping off her dolphin steed and hugging her in relief. The tears were still hanging in her eyes, but fortunately the water made it too hard for anyone to make out.

"You idiot...you had me really scared there! And Sango-san was scared too, weren't you?"

"Sango? Where's she?"

Mokou had never seen Sango around here. It had been herself, Cirno, Koishi, and that dolphin she'd been riding around on, the one that was floating at her side-

"Yeah, did you have to cut it so close? Next time, try to win a fight without getting killed, phwee..."

That wasn't a dolphin. It had definitely been a dolphin five seconds ago, but now it was Sango floating alongside her, letting out a sigh of relief. Mokou flinched at the sight - if it had been a dolphin before, and it was Sango now, did that mean Sango was...oh, wait, there was a fin on her back. That put a lot of her questions to rest.

"So THAT'S why you freaked out."

Sango pouted a little at that one. She'd just about forgotten that conversation, and she didn't want to be reminded of it.

"Anyway. This is gonna be one hell of a question, but now I think I have a right to ask it."

Mokou held her arms out, her face showing utter confusion.

"Where am I? What is this place? And why am I suddenly some sort of magical girl wannabe?"

Koishi let out a little laugh. It was funnier than she'd expected to see this realisation coming from someone else for a change.

"There'll be plenty of time to explain later, Mokou-san. For now..."

Her eyes turned to Cirno, still floating unconscious in the water.

"Sango-san, what do we do about her? You said they had some sort of mind control thing on her, right?"

Sango suddenly grew very tense, her body standing to attention. She looked away slightly before responding.

"Yes, a mindcoil. Basically, it takes your fears and weaknesses, and twists them to basically make you do whatever the Claw want you to do. It's a scary weapon - it can turn nervous little scaredy-cats into utter maniacs, no problem."

"Right. So, now that she's unconscious...how do we get rid of it?"

Sango paused, biting her lip. She dipped her head downwards, struggling to get her next words out.

"...We can't."

Koishi blinked. She must have misheard or something.

"We can't...?"

"We've tried every spell we can think of to deal with it, but as yet we haven't come up with a way of removing the mindcoil. And even if we've knocked her out now, she's going to come back and try again, and again, and again. The mindcoil won't give her any other choice - no matter how much it hurts her to lose, how slim her chances are, she'll just keep fighting us as long as she can. She'll suffer for it as much as we will."

Koishi slowly started to shake her head in denial. Sango was joking somehow, with a terrible, terrible joke. Mokou looked just as uncertain as Koishi did, watching Sango's movements with a careful eye.

"...I'm sorry, Koishi-san. There's only one way to put an end to this fight."

She looked up towards Koishi, her eyes severe as her hands trembled. The words that came out of her mouth disgusted her as much as they disgusted anyone else.

"And that's to kill her now, while we have the chance."


	12. Strongest

Koishi didn't want to believe what she was hearing. She hadn't agreed to this. She'd never have agreed to this.

"But...but we promised, didn't we? You said that we wouldn't kill anyone!"

Sango's face darkened. The guilt on her face spoke volumes even before the first words came out of her mouth.

"...I was hoping they wouldn't resort to the mindcoil this early on. I needed to convince you to work with us, Koishi-san...even if I had to, well, say things I didn't mean."

It was as if Sango had leapt over to her and stabbed her in the chest. She didn't realise how much trust she'd put in Sango until now, and all it did was make this hurt even more. Koishi wasn't sure whether to be heartbroken or furious, and fell somewhere in between.

"You...you lied?"

"The boss said I had to, okay? It was really important that you agreed to work with us - if you didn't, the fishmen would come after you again without me being around to help! I don't like it either, but...we don't really have a choice anymore."

Sango's whole body hung rigid as she spoke. Mokou tilted her head slightly at the mention of fishmen, but beyond that had to settle for spectating on the argument without a word to contribute.

"I...but...she didn't do anything to deserve this, did she? Maybe she was a mean person, but she doesn't deserve to die, does she?"

Koishi looked over to Cirno's still-unconscious body, floating around in front of them. For a moment, she tried to picture herself doing the deed, mentally giving her a stab to the back of the neck for a quick and painless death.

The thought still made her feel physically ill.

"Believe me, Koishi-san, I don't want to do this either. If there was some way, any way for us to avoid this scenario, I'd take it. But the fact is...the Cirno you know is already gone. They're just using her as a weapon now. I'm...I'm really sorry, but..."

Sango reached into one of her pockets, pulling out a small knife with a coral pattern running down its hilt. The glint bounced off her own Ring of Breath for a moment, making it seem that tiny bit more threatening.

"It's for her sake. I can't just sit by and put her through what the Claw have planned for her."

Mokou let out a heaving sigh, occasionally turning her eyes to Cirno with a look of guilt.

"...There's nothing? Absolutely nothing at all we can do for her?"

Sango shook her head heavily. Even from here, Koishi could see Mokou's lip tremble. Eventually the phoenix managed to force a few words of response out, almost choking as she spoke.

"...Do it. Just...do it now. Make it quick, before I change my mind."

Sango nodded towards Mokou, glad that she was willing to accept the circumstances. She placed one hand on Koishi's shoulder, sighing.

"...I've never killed anyone before. I just hope it's not always going to be this difficult..."

Koishi was trembling as Sango started to make her way over to Cirno's body, knife still in her hand. The dolphin took deep breaths, her fingers shaking slightly as she tried to work up the nerve.

They said that Cirno was gone. That her mind was no longer her own, that she couldn't think for herself anymore. That she was just a slave to the Black Claw, and that death was a mercy for her.

And yet there was a lingering doubt in Koishi's mind. A feeling of disagreement. A niggling idea that there was still something deep down that they just hadn't found a way to reach.

"...Hm?"

She became suddenly aware of a burning feeling in her chest. She looked down, suddenly remembering the tendrils and coils along her body, culminating in the closed eye over her heart. The eye was flickering, desperately trying to open, but not quite strong enough to finish the deed.

Not quite knowing what she was doing, Koishi reached downward and pulled it open with one hand.

The shot burst straight from the third eye towards Cirno, a light violet beam that Sango and Mokou were lucky to avoid. Both of them ducked away on instinct, thinking it was an attack from some unseen accomplice until they turned back and saw its true source.

As the beam enveloped Cirno, Koishi felt her body begin to grow heavy. It became a struggle to keep her eyes open, like her brain was shutting down.

"The hell are you doing?!" Mokou yelled. "Tororetsu-san, you're the one who knows all this magical crap. What's going on?"

The fatigue only grew stronger over time, until Koishi couldn't keep her eyes open any more. She was only vaguely aware of the beam fading as the world disappeared around her.

"I...I don't know! I've never seen anything like thi-hey, Koishi-san!? Are you okay? Speak to me! Koishi-san!"

She felt someone shake her by the shoulders as the beam finally died off.

Then nothing.

* * *

><p>The world she woke up in was different from the one she left.<p>

The first feeling that came to her mind as she regained consciousness was that she was cold. Very cold. Understandable, given that she was lying in a field of snow, and the blizzard above her showed no sign of letting up.

"H...Hello? Sango-san? Mokou-san?"

There was a stutter in her voice as the cold hit her. She lifted herself to her feet, her legs still trembling slightly, and started to look around. The world was white, with snow as far as the eye could see, and not a soul in sight.

"Haa...where is everyone? And...where am I?"

She vaguely remembered opening her third eye, pointing it towards Cirno. The next thing she remembered, she was here, alone and already freezing cold. She walked onwards in the hope that she'd come across some sort of shelter before she froze to death.

_Other way around, dummy. You're the telepath._

Sango's words rung in her ears. She was psychic, or so she'd been told. And the last thing she remembered was a feeling of her mind..._shifting_, for lack of a better word, moving out of her body and ending somewhere else.

_So...am I in Cirno's head now?_

Much to her relief, Koishi caught sight of a mansion in the distance before she lost any fingers to the cold. The entire structure was made of carefully-formed ice that looked strong enough to survive any hit Koishi could dish out, and the doors hung open as if to welcome her. She accepted the offer, closing the door behind her to keep the chill outside.

She didn't know how a mansion made of ice could keep her from freezing to death, but all that mattered was that it was warmer in here than it was out there. The main hallway was ornately decorated, showing none of the obvious signs of disuse or disrepair.

"Hello...?"

Her voice echoed through the corridors of the mansion, but after a few seconds pause there was no response. Koishi's first steps into the mansion were careful, but contrary to her concerns there was no monster ready to swallow her the moment she stepped in.

This, it seems, was the conscious part of Cirno's mind - the part that made up her character and personality. There were many doors, many paths, but as Koishi looked around she found that most of the doors were blocked off, held in place by a series of black tendrils running along them.

_The mindcoil...?_

In the end, there was only one path for Koishi to follow through the mansion, its doors hanging open again as if in preparation for her arrival. To say that she was disturbed by the thought was an understatement, but the alternative was waiting around for the rest of time, so she strode forward regardless.

The corridors of the building had mirrors running along all of their walls, so with every glance to her side Koishi felt like someone was walking beside her. Unconsciously, she started walking the tiniest bit faster, afraid that something was ready to jump out from inside the mirror and eat her alive.

As she moved further down the predetermined path, she started to make out a sound, the first one to break the silence beyond her own footsteps. It was a voice, distant at first, but growing louder the further she travelled. Slowly, the vague and distant sound became clear as it echoed through the corridors of the mansion.

Somewhere in the distance, Cirno was crying.

"Ah...!"

Koishi started to run now. It wasn't loud, blatant crying, more the vague sniffles you'd get as you tried to keep your voice down. The sound only grew louder as she moved forward, until finally she came to a pair of majestically decorated double doors, even more overblown than the rest of the mansion.

Slowly, and carefully, Koishi pulled the door open and stepped inside. She found herself in some sort of throne room, treading on an ornate red carpet. It ran the length of the room, coming to an end at a chair that may as well have been made of solid gold. The figure sitting on it was clad in a regal blue robe, the same colour as the icy walls that made up her little fort. A weighty golden crown was balanced awkwardly on her head, as she looked downward as if in deep contemplation.

It wasn't her who was crying, though. The sound was coming from the room directly behind the throne, the one whose double-doors had been blocked off by the strongest of the black lines Koishi had seen up until now. Her instincts brought her halfway across the room before a voice boomed out.

"Stop right there."

The robed Cirno stood up, with her robe still swaying behind her. Her face carried a confident, regal suave that the real Cirno had never shown in all of her days.

"I've got no idea how you made your way here, but you'd better start making your way back out. You're not welcome in my palace."

She spoke loudly to avoid being drowned out by the sobbing behind her. That was Koishi's main concern right now - she could see that the mindcoil's efforts were focused here, so if she could destroy that barrier the rest of it would likely come apart itself.

"Cirno-san...I'm trying to help you. Right now I need to get that door open, and-"

"Help? Me? Ha! Good one, good one. Almost makes me wish I didn't have to throw you out."

She laughed heartily, oozing pride and confidence. Behind her, the sound of her own crying still rung out loud and clear. She was in two places at once, split apart in her own psyche.

Koishi put two and two together. This wasn't Cirno she was talking to - this was the ambitious, power-hungry side of her, the one that had been engineered to take over. The rest of Cirno's emotions had been locked away by the mindcoil.

And if she didn't get rid of that, Sango would end up killing Cirno for sure.

"Look, listen to me. If we don't get that door open again, you are going to...die. I'm doing this for your sake."

A hint of malice rose to Cirno's face.

"Komeiji, I don't need your help. And I sure as hell don't need to let out that wuss over there. Now, get out of here before I have to _show_ you just how well I can handle myself."

This was going badly. Koishi knew that arguing with her right now was unlikely to work, but if the alternative was fighting then she had to at least give it a try. She wouldn't be able to handle Cirno on her own in any form, that was for sure.

"But don't you get it? You must have seen the fight from here. You lost to Mokou-san, rememb-"

"Bullshit!"

Wrong move. Cirno lifted an arm up from beneath her robe, revealing a glistening silver blade held beneath.

"Alright, that does it. You can kid me all you like, but when you start claiming I'm a loser, that's when you go too far!"

The robe fell to the floor, showing that Cirno was wearing a long blue dress beneath it, a zig-zag white trim running along the bottom. She weighed the sword in her hand for a moment, then charged down the room towards Koishi with all her might.

The crying in the background stopped.

It took all of Koishi's reflexes just to dodge the blow. She leaped to the side as the sword crashed down into the ground where she'd stood only moments beforehand. She let momentum carry her, rolling clumsily to the wall. By the time she'd made it to her feet, Cirno was already coming at her again, the blade's edge shimmering for a moment in the light.

"Kyah!"

The sword stabbed into the wall inches from her head, creating cracks in the ice. Cirno growled to herself, struggling slightly to pull the weapon out again and giving Koishi enough time to break away.

Looking quickly around the room, she found nothing that she could think of using as a weapon. The only notable pieces of furniture were candlesticks at the corners of the room, but they were far too heavy for her to even think of wielding. She grimaced, one of her hands curling up into a fist, before looking down on it she had a moment of epiphany.

She didn't have Sango. Or her trident. But she wasn't quite unarmed.

"Dammit. You don't get it, do you?! I'm not the sort of loser who needs other people to get by! I'm perfectly fine all by myself!"

Koishi wasn't sure if this Cirno could even hear the crying coming from the room behind her, but by the time she was ready to land another swing Koishi was ready for her. She pressed down on the dolphin emblem on her left glove, not taking the time to charge the attack - mainly because she didn't have it.

"Iruka Shot!"

Within instants the bullet had formed in her hand and started its journey toward its target. It struck Cirno's blade, knocking off her balance just enough for Koishi to trip her up in the same fashion Mokou had. Cirno proceeded to eat a faceful of carpet as she fell to the floor, sword held tightly so that it didn't fall to her side.

"Gh...lucky hit! Try doing it again, I dare you!"

She propped herself up with her blade, turning straight to Koishi. Another shot was in the middle of being charged, stronger than the one before it. Cirno paid it no mind, standing up and getting ready to block the moment it fired.

She stopped the bullet with the sword, but she couldn't stop the recoil sending its hilt slamming into her face. The impact was enough to knock her backwards a few more steps as she grit her teeth, clearly in pain.

"I...I'm fine! No harm done! Now it's my turn to rough you up!"

Cirno started charging again with reckless abandon. It was clear now she had no intention of letting up until one of the combatants stopped moving. She was set to kill Koishi now, or die trying.

But even now, Koishi couldn't shoot to kill. It was a fragment of Cirno's personality she'd be killing off - the proud, confident side that told her to keep going when things got tough. Even if she saved her after that, she wouldn't really be the same Cirno she'd been before.

_Still...what else can I do...?_

She'd achieved nothing, it seemed. All she'd managed to do was make sure it was her hands that were stained with Cirno's blood. Her will faltered at the last moment, and the shot she'd been charging vanished in her hands.

"Take **THIS**!"

Cirno swung down maniacally, and this time Koishi was too slow to dodge completely. The blade drew a line from her neck down to her armpit, tearing through the fabric of her outfit and drawing blood. Koishi cried out in pain as she pulled away, grabbing at the cut with her arm and running away at full speed.

"Kyahahaha! How does it feel now, huh? You aren't laughing anymore, are you? Doesn't it feel great knowing that I'm the one in control now?"

Cirno didn't even bother to attack this time around, twirling her blade around as she returned to her demented laughter. Koishi could only stumble further away, still clutching at the wound on her chest, as she continued.

"Yeah, maybe I had to do some bad things. Yeah, maybe I had to hurt some people and break some rules, but who cares about that crap!? People like me because I'm strong, not because I'm smart! I have friends now, right?! I can't lose, or those people will stop giving a damn about me!"

To start with Koishi thought she was seeing things, but Cirno's eyes were beginning to water up. She let off little sniffles, her voice rising to a yell.

"Don't you get it, Komeiji!? I'm the strongest because I **NEED** to be the strongest! If I let up and lose now, then people will stop liking me! So don't even bother crying about how it's unfair, got it!?"

She was charging again, with tears hanging in her eyes and screaming all the way. She was set to run Koishi through without remorse.

Running on instinct alone, Koishi put together a plan. She had just enough time to dash backwards, behind the throne and with her back to the doors. She felt the mindcoil's black tendrils on her arms, shivering as it touched her skin. As Cirno dashed at her again her mind screamed at her to dodge, but she worked up the nerve to stay where she was. If this plan was to work, she had to move away at the last possible moment.

"Now, _die already_!"

The sword came swinging downward, set to cleave Koishi in two.

_Now!_

Her body was primed, dodging to the side with something resembling fluency this time. The sword continued its sweep, even though the intended target had moved away.

There was an audible sound of snapping as it cut clean through the black tendrils at the gap between the doors.

A heaving groan echoed through the hall, and the entire room began to shake. The coils around the wall flailed before shattering violently, firing fragments across the room. Koishi had to duck in order to avoid one hitting her in the face; soon after, she saw the fragment disintegrate into thin air.

Cirno - or at least, this side of Cirno - took a moment to realise what she'd just been tricked into doing. She stared at the doorway in horror, as its heaving metal doors began to open.

"N...No! You can't...!"

She dropped her sword and pushed back, holding the door shut with all her strength. Her face contorted with the effort, but she fought on regardless through sheer desperation.

"I...I can't...I can't let her out! No-one likes her! If I get seen with her again, no-one will ever like me!"

The tears were plain on her face again as she pressed herself against the doors, struggling to keep them shut. Koishi pulled herself to her feet, still grimacing over the wound that Cirno had managed to give her earlier. She understood now - the mindcoil had all but faded, but the beliefs it had feasted on had always been there. The mindcoil just allowed them to roam free without letting any of Cirno's other feelings get in the way.

"Dammit! Not like this...not like this!"

She was slowly losing ground, the door pulling open ever so slightly. Even knowing that this girl had tried to kill her minutes ago, Koishi couldn't help but feel sad witnessing this. At last, Cirno's strength left her, and she fell backwards as the door opened in her face.

A figure wordlessly stepped out from within. It was a second Cirno, the polar opposite of the first - dressed in tattered rags, with tearful eyes and a heartbroken expression. She looked down at the self-proclaimed ruler of the mansion, but there was no malice in her eyes - only disappointment.

The two stared at one another in total silence, but the tension was evident. The mindcoil had done its damage. At this rate, she had no idea what would Cirno would be like when she woke up - at its worst, the two sides might split into outright separate personalities.

"Look...you two."

Koishi was nervous as she spoke out, immediately feeling two pairs of eyes fall on her. She gulped slightly before pressing onward.

"I...I understand you two had your reasons to split apart. But you're both parts of one greater whole. You can't survive on your own anymore."

Understandably, neither side was exactly fond of that idea. The humble half simply shot her a glare, while her proud side wasted no time in rebutting her argument.

"Yeah, like there's a point in that! When we worked together, we pulled off jack shit! And when she took charge earlier on and tried all that studying and crap, we got the crap beaten out of us! At least when I called the shots, people respected me for something!"

The death glare quickly made its way from Koishi to the proud Cirno after that one.

"But think about what the two of you could do together. Cirno-san-" she looked to the royal side of Cirno's psyche-"You've got more drive than some people will ever have. And Cirno-san-" now the other girl, the silent one in rags- "You're brave enough to look past your faults and try to improve yourself. If you work together, you could do amazing things."

"...But who'd like me?"

Now both of them were wearing the same expression - the look of loss, embarrassment, shame.

"I'm only working so hard to keep up with everyone else. And even then, there are people that breeze past me without even lifting a book. Who would give a damn about some idiot who can barely scrape an 70 when she studies...?"

Both of them turned their heads downwards, looking generally depressed. The poorer Cirno sat down on the floor, looking her counterpart in the eye. Each side stared with contempt at the other in another awkward silence.

Koishi reached down, and placed one hand on each of their shoulders.

"I'd like you. It takes a lot of willpower to work that hard, Cirno-san. I'd respect you for putting so much effort into doing the right thing."

Both Cirnos were stunned for a moment, looking at each other in confusion. They turned to Koishi with identical expressions of awe.

""Y-You mean...you would...be my friend?""

Both of them spoke in unison, their voices matching with perfect pitch. Koishi nodded in response.

"Of course. Who wouldn't like a girl as determined and good willing as that?"

The two Cirnos looked at Koishi in wonder and amazement, then turned to one another. A childish, pure smile rose on each of their faces, until the pair reached out and embraced like two sisters, reunited after years apart. Koishi's heart grew a little warmer at the sight, momentarily forgetting all the circumstances that had brought her here.

"...haah..."

The two Cirnos moved closer together, until they reached the point where they merged into one another. Koishi felt her legs buckling, her strength leaving her as she collapsed back to the ground.

Her work here was done.

* * *

><p>"...san! Koishi-san!"<p>

Sango's arms shaking her violently quickly pulled Koishi back awake. The dolphin's eyes were flooded with concern, but as Koishi began to finally respond to her movement, it started to give way to relief.

"...Y-You're alright!? You're alright! Phweeeee~!"

Sango grabbed Koishi with all her strength, almost lifting her off the ground in a hug. Over her shoulder, Mokou sighed with relief and gave Koishi a tiny smile.

"Y-Yeah...sorry about that, Sango-san."

They were back in the alley from before, she noticed, and the costumes were thankfully absent. Maybe they'd been set to take her to the hospital - how long had she been out for?

"H...How's Cirno-san?"

Sango stood to attention at that, her grip on Koishi growing a little more tense.

"Um, uh...I haven't done it yet. I didn't realise how hard it was, and then there was you passing out, and...I thought I'd double-check with the boss, y'know?"

She frowned. She was taking Koishi's passing out as an excuse not to go through with the killing. Koishi smiled, on two counts; one, she had decided that Sango was a good person, even if she'd had to wrong her in the past.

Two - from what she was aware, Sango didn't have anything to worry about any more.

"Sango-san...check Cirno-san's eyes."

Sango tilted her head. "Phwee?"

"Just trust me on this one."

Although she clearly had no idea why she was being asked to do it, Sango nodded. Holding Koishi closely with one arm to be safe, she walked past Mokou towards the fallen Cirno, still passed out. She reached down, carefully lifting up one eyelid.

The eye beneath it had returned to its normal light-blue tint.

"...What? But how?"

Sango let go of Koishi, examining the other eye quickly to check if it wasn't a trick of the light. Sure enough, the other eye was back to its lighter colour as well.

"...Heh. Not bad, Komeiji-san."

Mokou caught the gist of Sango's surprise without hearing a word, offering a thumbs-up from her spot against the wall. Koishi stood up, nodding in return.

"Thank you. I...can't say I know what I did in there, but it looks like it was enough."

A relieved smile drifted onto Mokou's face. She held her arms out to hug Koishi, but had second thoughts at the last minute for the sake of pride.

Sango finished her inspection of the body, still looking down in wonder. She reached into a pocket, pulling out a small cellphone with (unsurprisingly) a dolphin strap attached to it. She hit a number on speeddial and put the phone to her ear.

"...Ma'am, this is Agent Sango reporting. I need to bring the Sirens to you, right now."

Koishi and Mokou turned to Sango in surprise, even though the conversation wasn't directly aimed at either. Sango's expression was still incredulous as she spoke, as if unsure of what she was saying.

"...Yes, I know protocol says to keep it secret, but this is serious. ...She just performed a successful mindcoil extraction. ...Yes, I've checked. ...Yes, I did it twice."

The voice on the other side of the phone murmured something. Sango nodded in response.

"Yes, ma'am. Understood. Agent Sango out."

Sango hung up, placing the phone back in her pocket. She sighed, looking head-on at the two Sirens she was working to protect.

"Well, looks like you two are gonna be meeting the boss a little sooner than we'd planned..."


	13. Debriefing

Technically Sango was meant to have blindfolded the Sirens before leading them towards the meeting place. Protocol insisted that since neither of them had been properly ordained into the Order, they were to be assumed as potential spies and treated accordingly. The White Pearl was a small enough society already - it wasn't willing to take risks being doublecrossed by its own members on top of everything else.

But besides the obvious difficulty she'd have in guiding two blindfolded teenagers through the busy city streets, there was the still passed-out Cirno they had to carry around. So far the girls had shown themselves to be good-hearted, so Sango was willing to trust them with a secret or two.

No-one seemed to pay much attention to Koishi and Mokou as they carried Cirno along, helping her down the street like friends seeing to a drunken classmate. Sango led the way, retracing the path the trio had taken before. Mokou looked down on the fallen Fairy, not even noticing Eientei as they passed it. It was probably better that way.

"Uh, Sango-san?"

Koishi piped up with a question as she examined the buildings around her.

"Phwee?"

"Doesn't this street lead back to school?" Koishi asked.

Sango seemed confused by the question, shrugging.

"Koishi-san, the Sirens are all gonna be girls around your age. Where do you think is the best place to set up shop?"

Koishi nodded slowly as she took understood what Sango was trying to suggest. Apart from the occasional home-schooled student, every teenager in Gensouto would visit that one high school, at predictable times, on predictable days. It was the perfect place to be on the lookout for the Sirens, not to mention listening out for the rumours that the Black Claw were so fond of spreading.

The busy crowds started to dissipate as they continued down the path. Gensouto High loomed over them, eerily deserted as the sun began to set. Any of the students who had stayed behind for clubs were long gone now, and the gate had been locked shut some time ago. Entry was strictly prohibited at these hours, but the ominous chain gate usually did enough to convince wannabe thieves that it wasn't worth the effort.

Sango reached into her bag again, rummaging around. Koishi watched her hand intently, waiting to see what sort of magical gizmo she pulled out next. An enchanted key that could open any lock? A bottle of acid that would melt away the metal bar? She hated to admit it, but she was starting to really get into this whole magic business, and there was a feeling of genuine curiosity as she watched the dolphin pull out her latest gadget.

She was disappointed to see Sango pull out an ordinary key. No glitter, no sparkle, nothing. Sango caught a sight of her downbeat face, and gave her an awkward look.

"I'm not gonna steal anything, I promise."

"No, I just thought it'd be...flashier."

Sango saw that Koishi was looking at the key in her hand, then sighed.

"Koishi-san, let me get this straight. You humans have invented a system that lets you cut spare keys to any door. No fuss, no pizazz, no evidence. You're telling me that you'd rather I had to go through a lockpicking charm every time I wanted to get in here after hours? Jeez, and you say that I'm crazy."

She couldn't argue with that one, but Koishi still felt like it was a little too mundane compared to everything else she'd been exposed to in the last few days. Had it only been that long? Already it felt like she'd been doing this for months, but maybe that was she could only remember the same dreary school days repeating ad infinitum. Mokou seemed shell-shocked by today's ordeal - understandable, in all fairness - and was relieved to see Sango resorting to methods that were relatively sane in order to open the gate.

Clearly the school board had put a lot of faith in that gate, because there was nothing in terms of security as they continued to carry Cirno along the grounds. The classrooms were supposed to be locked up by teachers at the end of the day, but it was a job that no-one really saw a point in actually doing. When was the last time anyone had broken into this place, anyway?

And even in spite of all that, there were more measures that should have served to keep intruders out. Every now and then, at the end of a corridor, a camera would glare down on Koishi. No doubt there would be evidence on the security tapes of the breakin and there would be all sorts of trouble in the morning, she thought. It was only later that she found out that the Pearl had thought ahead, and that the cameras between the entrance and the meeting place had their tapes 'conveniently misplaced' by a member of staff.

As a final result of all of this preparation, Sango led Koishi and Mokou through the school unseen by the guard on duty. The path twisted and turned, like she was trying to lose a pursuer, but eventually came to a stop in front of a familiar classroom.

Namely, Koishi's math class.

"...No."

She shook her head, mentally refusing to process the thought. She could have dealt with it being a janitor, a class rep, maybe even a teacher she'd never worked with. But not her. Please, please, _PLEASE_ not her.

Sango didn't even need a key this time around, simply opening the door with a twist of the knob. It creaked audibly, in a way that added a dramatic flair to the discovery of what was waiting inside. It was clear that dramatic flair was exactly what their contact was aiming for, because she'd positioned her chair to be in the midst of the light from the setting sun, deliberately turned backwards so she could twirl around when the time called for it.

"Evening, girls."

Koishi's prayers went unanswered. Their contact saw her opening, and kicked on the floor with one high-heeled foot to spin her chair towards them.

"I assume you aren't here for tutoring?"

Sitting comfortably, still in the dress she'd been wearing earlier, was Professor Kawashiro.

* * *

><p>Sango stepped forward without a hint of awkwardness, bowing towards the professor on the chair.<p>

"Well, they're all here, and last I checked they were just about intact."

She walked over to the teacher, standing to her side like a bodyguard. It was to her that Sango's allegiances were truly aligned, after all. Koishi recovered just enough to offer some sort of verbal response to her discovery.

"K-K-Kawashiro-sensei? You mean you-"

Professor Kawashiro held a hand up, silencing Koishi mid-sentence.

"Please, Koishi-san, call me Nitori. We're all going to be needing to help each other out in the next few weeks, so we should put aside the student-teacher business for now."

"That's not the point! You were in on this?!"

Koishi raised her voice, enough to earn her a cautious glare from the two girls across the room. There was little to fear, though. No-one was hanging around the school at this hour, so the words harmlessly echoed through empty corridors.

"You've been here for years, haven't you?!" Koishi continued. "I was hearing the rumours about how you turned two and two into five by the end of my first week here!"

Nitori cringed slightly at that one. According to the story she'd forgotten to carry a one teaching her first class of calculus. It had become a lingering urban legend across the school.

"We've had a lot of time to prepare for this, Koishi-san," she said, recovering. "We needed to secure the school as a vantage point, and if we left it until the last minute we couldn't guarantee there'd be a space for us to put an agent. I figured deep cover was the best option, so I decided I could afford to spend a few years teaching teenagers how to put the Ohm in Ohmygawd."

The smile that rose onto her face suggested there was more to it than that. Given the magical prowess of the White Pearl, their leader seemed to be surprisingly scientific.

"Uh, guys? Hate to break up your discussion, but the kid here is pretty damn heavy."

Mokou, was focusing her attention on the teenage girl currently weighing down one of her arms. Cirno was still soundly unconscious, almost asleep. The rest of the room turned to look at her after Mokou's complaint, suddenly reminding Nitori of why she'd had to bring them here in the first place.

"...Ah. Yes. Sango, this is her?"

Sango nodded, looking uncertain. She didn't seem to believe herself, either. With a quick shuffle of her eyes, Nitori directed the Sirens to lay her over a pair of desks. She stepped calmly and simply towards the body, any sign of the drunkenness she'd displayed at Lorelei's now firmly gone. She had been there, watching while they ate dinner together, Koishi realised. She had put the teacher's presence down to sheer coincidence.

Coincidence, as a word, seemed to be losing meaning by the day.

_Wait...didn't she...?_

Her mind looked backwards, to the time she'd spent at school today. After the fight with Cirno, the professor had appeared and checked if they were okay. In particular, she'd gone up to Sango and ran a hand down her jacket to check for bruises. There was no way she would have been able to do that without feeling the fin underneath. In retrospect, it was blindingly obvious, but Koishi was too busy licking her own wounds to think about it at the time.

"Now, then. Let's see what injuries you've given this poor girl..."

Even as she joked, Nitori examined Cirno's unconscious body with a steady and experienced hand. Physically, she'd taken a bit of a beating, but nothing worse than some nasty bruises. She'd be up again in half an hour or so.

"Most importantly..."

She turned to Sango, and the dolphin quickly started rummaging around her boss's desk. She pulled out a contraption similar to a penlight, the sort that doctors used to check for consciousness. Given the pale green glow emanating from Nitori turned it on Cirno's eye, though, it was designed for something a little more mystical. Nitori's eyes grew wider with every second, not because she saw anything unusual in Cirno's eye, but because she saw absolutely nothing out of the ordinary.

"...It's gone. Not even a trace."

A hint of awe rose to her face, as she realised what this discovery was worth. She went from surprise to amazement to relief in the space of a few seconds. Placing the penlight to the side, she looked to Koishi and offered her a small round of applause.

"Thank you, Koishi-san. You saved this young girl's life, and for that I'm almost as thankful as she is."

Nitori's shoulders relaxed slightly. She'd just been given one less thing to worry about. This was a feeling that Koishi hadn't quite expected - a look of utter thanks and respect. She blushed in response, twiddling her thumbs as she took a new interest in her feet. When was the last time anyone had said something like that to her? She couldn't even remember.

"Uh, well...you're welcome, I guess. I can't really say I knew what I was doing but...I guess it worked?"

Nitori turned to Koishi, examining her form more closely. She took a glance at the closed third eye upon her chest, intrigued.

"I was wondering, actually. How _did_ you manage to close it? From what I've read on your ancestry, you aren't supposed to be able to turn off your ability like that."

Now it was Koishi's turn to look confused. She looked down on herself for good measure, confirming that the eye was as dormant as it had always been.

"I'm...not sure where you've been reading. As far as I know, it's always been like this."

Nitori's eyes widened in surprise for a moment, before she descended into thought. She leaned downwards, placing her head right next to the third eye and giving it a quick examination.

"Well...that isn't supposed to happen. Not at all."

She frowned, poking at one of the tendrils that emerged from the eye. Immediately Koishi yelped, as a feeling akin to a cold weight pressed against her chest. She slapped away Nitori's hand violently, and the teacher's frown deepened.

"Ah, sorry. I was checking to see if it responded to touch. I forgot it was that sensitive..."

Koishi needed a moment to catch her breath. She could touch the veins fine enough, but apparently they didn't react well to the hands of others. The feeling passed, and she looked to Nitori with another question.

"How do you know all this, exactly? And what do you mean, ancestry?"

"Oh, after Sango saw you on the beach that morning and told me she sensed you were a Siren, I did some reading into your bloodline. Magic isn't completely original to everyone, after all - more often than not, it's inherited in the blood, so when I went to look up families possessing third eyes like yours the Komeiji family was easily the most prominent in Gensouto."

Nitori stepped backwards, looking at the blackboard behind her. Another equation had been drawn up earlier, and as usual with Nitori it was totally incorrect.

"As for how...it might be better for you to see that in person."

She took a piece of chalk from the side, and began to draw on the corner of the board. It was a simple picture, drawn with a series of strong, practiced strokes. The symbol meant nothing to Koishi - a circle inside a square, touching its outer edges - but it was a symbol that the machine behind the blackboard took in with perfect clarity.

"It's our symbol," Nitori said. "A pearl within an oyster. It stands for sanctuary."

The room rumbled as the blackboard shuffled across the wall, moving a few feet to the side. Where it had been positioned, an ominous-looking doorway was built into the wall, through which Koishi could make out a poorly lit room. She blinked incredulously - the room next door had long since been abandoned due to some sort of health and safety scare, to the point where they'd built a wall over the door inside to stop meddling kids from peeking inside. They'd never given a straight explanation, though - she'd heard jokes about how it was all a coverup and there was some sort of deep dark secret behind that door, but she never expected them to be right.

Sango hung behind to watch in case Cirno came to her senses, while Nitori led the Sirens into her den. Immediately their eyes fell on the largest object in the room - a computer, almost as large as the blackboard in the room behind it, with a pair of extra screens attached to the sides. Mokou gasped slightly.

"...Damn. Didn't know I had that sort of fan."

The screen was still displaying the last information Nitori had been looking up - the history of a Mokou Fujiwara, one of the most recent descendants of the family of the Phoenix. The computer only offered trifling details about her - her age, her school record, but no photographs or pictures - but on one of the side-screens she could see a family tree spanning backwards at least five generations. On the other, an encyclopaedic entry on the magical traits of the family had been half-read, stopped midway. Nitori must have been reading this before she went to trail the trio at Lorelei's. On the bottom, in much larger text than the rest, the words "RANK: A" stood out far in front of the rest of the entry.

"We have operatives working at the hospitals around here, before you ask how I got hold of this. Know thy enemy, as they say, and every girl here could be both our best friend and our worst nightmare."

There was a tone of smugness in Nitori's voice as she spoke about her masterpiece. There was no chair for her to sit on - she'd taken it outside in order to perform her little introduction. She settled for standing as she reached down to the keyboard in front of the screen, typing faster than Koishi's eyes could follow.

"And as for you..."

After a few seconds, the screens flashed, and Koishi saw her own name on the screen. It was an even stranger experience seeing her own name, her own history recorded by a woman who she barely knew. Her family tree, listing great-grandparents she'd never heard of, let alone met. And on the last screen, a full explanation of the powers that she didn't know she had a week ago.

Or so she thought, before she started reading.

"Take a look yourself, Koishi-san. Doesn't add up, does it?"

The whole entry was far too long for her to read now, but mercifully there was a summary at the top that cut the whole thing down into one tidy paragraph.

**"The bloodline of the Eye is potentially one of the most powerful in Gensouto, if correctly trained. Members of this family are likely to be very sensitive to the opinions of others, and highly skilled at guessing their emotions and thoughts. Upon discovering and accepting their abilities, this premonition evolves into outright knowledge, as they gain the ability to read the minds of nearby creatures at will. However, the power comes at a price - once it is activated, it cannot be turned off, and there is history of family members being driven insane by the unending onslaught of thoughts the world forces into their minds. The family name is very simply derived from the manifestation of their power - a third never-closing eye, balanced around the chest, held up by a series of bright red tendrils."**

It seemed half right. It was definitely close, that was for sure, but it didn't fit Koishi. For one, all she could do was pass on thoughts telepathically, and only with youkai. Humans were a step beyond her, and probably always would be.

And besides that...

Koishi looked down again at herself. The tendrils connecting her to the third eye were purple, not red. And the eye they were holding up was firmly closed, refusing to open unless Koishi reached down and pulled away the eyelid. Given what had happened the last time she did that, she decided against repeating the process.

"You're definitely part of the family, Koishi-san, but at the same time there's never been one quite like you before. You may not have the same powers as, say, your mother did, but it must be built from the same route."

Nitori grew tired of standing, moving the keyboard to the side and sitting on the desk it had been placed on. She looked at Koishi with the interest of a child at a zoo exhibit, only looking at the interesting parts and ignoring everything else. In this case, it was the eye that caught her attention, and Nitori continued speaking without giving her eye-contact (at least, not in the usual sense).

"I've only got one theory as to how this could have come about. There's only one way for your family to close your third eyes, and that's in death. I heard from Sango that you had a bit of an accident when you were young, and they had to bring you back after your heart stopped."

The eye gave no response despite Nitori's relentless glare. It hung in place as always, cold and lifeless. Koishi realised what Nitori was trying to suggest, and her heart skipped a beat.

"Looks like you came a lot closer to dying than you thought, Koishi-san. In fact, it's probably not far off to say you're half-dead already."

* * *

><p>"H-Half dead? Are you saying I'm a zombie or something?" Koishi felt a cold sweat on her forehead.<p>

"No, no, nothing that dramatic. Consider it that your third eye is comatose - not quite awake, but still working to some degree. You can still read the minds of youkai, right?"

Koishi nodded. Sango had been 'borrowing' answers from her in class so it wouldn't be totally obvious, but...wait.

"Yeah, but it goes the other way too. I can get Sango-san to hear what I'm thinking as well."

Nitori nodded, working frantically at the keyboard. She began to add a note at the bottom of Koishi's file, keeping track of all these new abilities that were popping up.

"Hm...interesting. You've found a way to not just tap into the minds of others, but form a psychic connection. Impressive."

The cursor shifted down to the large text at the bottom, currently listing Koishi as a Rank B adversary. The B was promptly removed, and replaced instead with XS+++. Presumably, this was Nitori's personal grading system, because it seemed too convoluted for anyone else to understand.

"Hm...is your power shifting inward, perhaps? Redirected so it can allow your thoughts out as well as letting other thoughts in? Yes, this is definitely worth looking into further-"

"Hey, teach. Sorry to interrupt, but I've got a few questions for you."

Mokou was leaning on the far wall, examining the other gadgets and gizmos lined around the room. There were various cupboards and drawers, filled with artifacts both scientific and supernatural. Most likely they'd have more glasses and rings so that the remaining Sirens could avoid mundane threats like insanity and drowning respectively. Besides the storage space, there were two large cylindrical tanks, filled to the brim with a green liquid unlike anything she'd ever seen before. Each had a computer in front of it, requesting input with regards to 'Subject Anatomy' - an experimental tank, maybe? Healing? Analysis? Koishi couldn't tell, and it was just one more question for Mokou to add to the mountain she'd managed to assemble in the last few hours.

"Hm? Oh, yes, they haven't had the chance to fill you in, have they? Apologies. When it comes to new discoveries, I can get...ahead of myself."

Nitori's attention was drawn away from the computer, leaving her note on Koishi unwritten. She seemed to suddenly remember that Mokou even existed, momentarily putting the entire situation to one side so she could further her own scientific curiosity. The phoenix glowered at her in suspicion.

"Well, sorry for not being interesting enough to examine. I'd just like someone to give me a clue about what the hell is going on here, because 20 minutes ago I'm pretty sure I died. And while I'm at it, how did everyone's hair go technicolor? Blue really doesn't suit you, Kawashiro-sensei."

Perhaps it was a sign of how far Koishi had managed to immerse herself in this new magical world that the mention of Nitori's hair did nothing surprise her. She'd seen signs of it before, so she was unsurprised to see that when her glasses came off the dark brown hair turned a much more dramatic shade. Mokou's first response to it was much more calm and dignified than Koishi's 'running through the streets in a panic'.

"Well, then. I suppose you've earned an explanation of what's going on. You too, Koishi-san."

"Um, Kawashiro-sensei, I already know-"

"I already said, I prefer Nitori. And if Sango has told you what I ordered her to tell you, you still have plenty to learn."

Nitori left the note on Koishi's file unfinished for the moment, though she'd undoubtedly finish it later with an eager hand. She led the Sirens backwards towards the far end of the room. Mokou and Koishi followed behind, still unable to make out any of the contents of these mysterious drawers and cupboards. Each of them had been locked securely, and given the jingle of keys coming from Nitori's pocket they wouldn't get their answers any time soon.

There was a desk here, with a much more mundane looking computer than the one she'd been working on earlier, and a projector screen had been set up behind it. Nitori took her place behind it, on another of those spinning chairs (maybe the one she'd been given to work on had rubbed off on her?) and without needing any guidance the pair of Sirens stood in front.

Nitori started to activate the computer. She tapped a finger against the desk as the hard drive sluggishly whirred to life.

"So, while we're waiting, Koishi-san. Mind telling me exactly what you know about this whole mess? So we can get your phoenix friend up to speed."

Koishi blinked. She was being asked to condense everything she'd been exposed to in the last few days and simplify it into a few easy paragraphs. That was sort of a big ask, but regardless she tried to come up with a synopsis.

She needed to take a deep breath first.

"OK, so. First off, everything you know about the world is wrong. Magic exists, everyone can use it, and hair colours spread across the whole rainbow now. Animals can walk and talk like humans do - you've seen Sango-san, right? She's an example. They call themselves youkai, and they basically know all this stuff we don't. There are some bad guys who are trying to bring magic back in the limelight, and there are good guys trying to stop them from getting their hands on these jewels of ours. They're called the Tidal Teardrops, there are 7 of them all around Gensouto inside other girls called Sirens, and they let us do all that magical stuff after we make a really really important wish. We're trying to get our hands on them before the Black Claw - that's the bad guys, for the record - kill them off and use those Teardrops to do all sorts of bad things."

Koishi gasped again, tiring herself out. Mokou's expression didn't falter all the way through - she'd had her stage of being shocked and confused, and now she just simply took everything in her stride. It was impressive, if slightly disturbing.

"Excellent description, Koishi-san! Not very detailed, and missing a lot of important facts, but that's all you were meant to know anyway."

Nitori gave Koishi a condescending nod as she started to type in commands on the keyboard. Koishi frowned slightly, while Mokou took the initiative to ask a question that had never come to her companion.

"Teach, one thing I don't get. So, these Black Claw guys want to let the world know about magic again? What makes you so sure that's a bad thing?"

"Besides the fact they're willing to kill off innocents to bring it back? That they hypnotise unsuspecting humans and force them to do their bidding?"

"And what about you? You're asking seven clueless teenage girls to come do your fighting for you." She raised an eyebrow, examining Nitori with visible suspicion. "If you're so powerful and useful, why do you expect us to defend ourselves?"

Nitori's face darkened, but she offered no response.

"Don't think I'm scared about fighting these guys," Mokou continued, gritting her teeth. "Hell, if they're using kids like Cirno as playthings, I'll be more than eager to start cracking some skulls. But who says everyone else is gonna be that eager? What if they die? Why do we have to win your war for you?"

"Because we don't have a choice."

Nitori growled out a response, but her frustration wasn't pointed at Mokou. She seemed to be looking out into the distance as she started to speak, having been given a perfectly good opening to vent.

"You know what most youkai think of you human beings? They think you're a race of sniveling, cheating cowards. They've seen you kill yourselves in pointless wars, tear apart all the wildlife around you, pollute the skies and seas with your waste, and now you're on the verge of bringing the whole world down with you. Frankly, there's a large group of youkai that think the world would be better off if mankind happened to suddenly disappear."

Mokou's anger floundered. Nitori's words hit her hard, leaving no space to counter. Mankind had done all of that and more. Koishi could feel her own heart wavering, as if she'd just been stabbed in the chest.

"If magic comes out into the open, there's a good chance you humans will do the job yourselves. You were all so excited and threatened by nuclear weaponry, but magic will let you destroy on a scale greater than you've ever achieved. You'll be able to wipe entire continents off the face of the earth - and given your history of peace, there's a very good chance you will. It would just be a waiting game, and then the Claw would just pick up where you left off and take what they claim is rightfully theirs."

Nitori's typing at the keyboard grew more aggressive. Koishi could hear the violent staccato of key taps almost louder than her own words as she spoke.

"But some of us have promises to keep. For centuries it's been our job to protect you and your people from anything the Black Claw tries. But there aren't many of us, and in terms of combat we can't match the raw power of the Sirens. But we can give you what you need to fend for yourselves, and as long as we can do that the White Pearl has a use in the world."

Nitori finished entering the last command and smashed the return key as the computer burst to life. The act was cathartic, and her shoulders slumped a little as she came to the end of her rant.

"Is that a good enough answer for you, Mokou-san?"

Mokou didn't answer for a while. She gave a subdued nod after a long bout of hesitation. Koishi nodded along as well, trying not to focus on the crimes mankind was accused of. A week ago she'd have fallen into a pointless bout of guilt on hearing it. Not today.

"Anyway. Now that both of you are up to speed..."

Another series of hastily entered commands, and now the projector burst into life. For now, it displayed a simple black slide.

"It's time to let you both know exactly what we've had to drag you into."

The black slide was replaced with a white one, with text written across it. Nitori had been kind enough to offer a translation - the original had been scribed in a language no human would ever understand.

Koishi and Mokou both flinched as they read it.

**"A History Of Humans And Magic: The War Of Cataclysm"**


	14. Cataclysm

There would be no text for a while - the pictures said more than enough. The first was one of the planet Earth, but not the one that they were familiar with - it was older, and the continents had yet to shift into their current positions. Thousands of years? Hundreds of thousands? Neither of them were familiar enough with geography to tell.

"You humans weren't always clueless when it came to magic. Back in the beginning, you didn't just know about it, you embraced it. Magic made up your societies, your daily lives, everything."

The slide changed again, displaying a labyrinthine metropolis. Man-made, no doubt, from the sight of humans walking around, but the entire architecture was impossible. There were tunnels and walkways blatantly floating in midair, and as the camera zoomed out it became clear that the entire city was built on a floating hunk of rock. Mokou let off a low whistle at that one.

"We revealed ourselves to you, thinking that our kind could share with yours. The races of the youkai were talented, but mankind was unique in the diversity of its powers. A pyromancer could be the next door neighbour of a telekinetic, and both of them could live across from a sage of history. You were unusual, and powerful.

"But you were also devious and ambitious. It started with one or two human magicians testing their strength against the local youkai, but those skirmishes grew in size and magnitude. You were eager to prove yourselves superior, and we were too proud to take the insult lying down. Within a few months of our first appearance, the dilemma had evolved into outright war. We had never seen a conflict this devastating, even in wars among the youkai races, and thus began what later became known as the War of Cataclysm."

Another slide. This one showed the same city again, but now it lay devastated. It had fallen into the ocean and any sign of the technology that had dwelt there had been thoroughly destroyed. There were tiny figures lying in the streets, and for the sake of keeping her stomach's contents where they were Koishi refused to give them more than a vague glare. She saw Mokou taking a closer look, and the taller girl gulped audibly.

"We were strong and experienced, but you were diverse and numerous. The battles wore on for months, and it became clear the youkai would be driven to extinction in a fair fight. So our finest mages and summoners came together, working to create a creature that would singlehandedly wipe out the human opposition. It was black magic, against every creed that all of our races followed, but it was considered necessary to ensure our survival. It would be the strongest, most intelligent creature in existence, and it would be built only to destroy."

Nitori sounded downhearted now rather than angry. This was a piece of history she was not proud of.

"...Maybe it's hard for you to tell, but I'm a lot older than I look. I was young then; freshly graduated and a prodigy among my people, the kappa. I was chosen to be part of this special team, and saw it as simply as a chance to earn myself some fame. I would become the hero who worked to save all of the races from the threat of mankind. I'd earn countless medals, be praised everywhere I went, and-"

She caught herself rambling, and stopped herself with a sudden cough. "...Sorry. Anyway, we worked for months in the scientific and magical circles to create what would be the ultimate combatant. We gave the creature no name; we knew it simply as Project 046.

When we released it on mankind, they quickly nicknamed it the Ravager."

This slide was perhaps even more frightening than the last. What looked back at them was a creature unlike any they'd ever seen or heard of. It stood on two legs, perhaps as an act of irony for its target. It stood a good eight or nine feet tall, and every inch of its body was covered in a jet black carapace designed to withstand all attack. Its arms looked brutally efficient, able to kill with a swipe, and its face - its face was frankly terrifying. Four eyes looked out, each glowing faintly red, and a set of three dozen jagged teeth was arranged beneath them in a sadistic grin.

"The Ravager did its job, better than even our most optimistic expectations. It sliced through the human forces with ease, killing anything and everything that dared to cross it. Within days, the war had been won, and the creature was ordered to return to base."

This was where Nitori fumbled. Koishi and Mokou knew what she was going to say before she even said it.

"...It refused, and killed the messengers we sent to reclaim it. It turned back, but now it was fighting our own forces. We had made it too intelligent, and after it achieved sentience it wanted to rule over everything itself. The researchers hadn't considered a killcode, and we weren't strong enough to stop it. Worse still..."

Another slide. The Ravager stood proud and ready, but this time it wasn't alone. A dozen youkai of various races - lions, eagles, sharks and the like - stood behind it in battle poses. They were not as threatening as their leader, perhaps, but they all shared the same cruel glint in their eyes.

"It was intelligent enough to find followers. It valued the strong, and agreed to spare their lives in return for their servitude. That was the birth of the Children of the Black Claw, and with allies on its side the Ravager grew stronger still.

Finally, we came to our last resort. We were fortunate enough that our leader, a high-ranking youkai by the name of Yukari Yakumo, had survived this far. She was a special case - no-one knew exactly what sort of youkai she was, but we knew that her power was unrivalled among any of the races. She personally visited the remnants of the human forces and agreed a truce so that both sides could eliminate the true threat - the Ravager and its minions."

There were no slides for this one. Presumably, there had been no chance to record the final battle - there was no room for journalism when the fate of two races was at stake.

"We would not have won the front-on conflict that occured. We subdued the Claw, but the Ravager itself was too powerful for us. No-one could hope to harm it, let alone defeat it. Every remaining man, woman and child fought with the youkai that day, but it was a battle we seemed destined to lose.

That is, until Yukari revealed the ace up her sleeve."

What was presumably the last slide came up. A transcript had been typed out, again presumably a translation from the original. The receiver was a name neither Siren recognised - probably the leader of one of the youkai races.

"Each of the racial heads was given one of these letters and given orders not to open them until the battle had ended. The contents more or less speak for themselves."

They certainly did. As Koishi and Mokou read along with the scrolling text, they could almost hear a voice in their head reciting the words - a light, soft voice, trembling but managing to stay confident.

**_"Dear XXX,_**

**_It is with great sadness that I abdicate my position as leader of the youkai. It is not out of cowardice I do this; in fact, it is anything but. If you have survived to read this message, then you will already know that I am dead._**

**_This creature - our own creation, built out of a desperate struggle - has turned against us. It is only right that we must pay the price to seal it. I have been doing my own research into sealing rituals for some time - after all, we have no way of destroying the monster, so we must instead contain it. At last I found a spell that would allow us to be free of its menace, but the price is painfully high._**

**_Firstly, our human allies. You will have noticed that after I completed my incantation, each of them collapsed to the floor unconscious. Do not be alarmed; they are not yet dead, but something has been taken from them. The knowledge of magic, the secrets the world of youkai holds - they have now been lost to mankind._**

**_Take your armies and leave this place. Leave no trace of your existence. It is better that our peoples live apart rather than quarrel and fall into conflict once again. Live among them, but keep yourselves hidden. Let no sign of our existence emerge, but wish them no harm - violence has solved nothing in this war, and there is no reason to believe that will change._**

**_Secondly, the spell required a life to be sacrificed. This was a point I thought over for a long time - perhaps the researchers responsible would have been willing to offer themselves for atonement, or a warrior looking to ensure his name was remembered for all time. In the end, though, I decided that neither option would suffice. I ordered the research to be performed; the fault lied with me, and thus it is only fair that I should pay the price to repair the damage that I have caused._**

**_One final warning: For all that has been spent to bring this victory about, it is not final. Long into the future, in the place where ideas come to life, there will be seven Sirens. Each of them shall carry within them a solemn wish, and when this wish is uttered they will regain the powers that mankind has lost tenfold. They shall all be worthy combatants, but their items of power, the Tidal Teardrops, have uses beyond simple magic._**

**_If the Ravager's former minions were to collect these Teardrops, they would find ways to manipulate their immense power to their own needs. If all seven were to fall to them, perhaps they could even go so far as to reveal the world of magic to humanity once again, and that will simply repeat the cycle of bloodshed that has brought us here in the first place._**

**_I implore you. Watch for the Sirens. Ensure that they are kept safe. And most of all, make sure that the Teardrops do not fall into the wrong hands. I ask you this, as a former ruler of your people; for I would rather you had a kingdom still standing to rule._**

**_Yours,_**

**_Yukari Yakumo"_**

As the last few words scrolled onto the screen, the slide flickered and eventually died. Nitori's voice once again grew irritated as she picked up where the slideshow left off.

"Technically, no-one won the War of Cataclysm, but both sides walked away heavily wounded. We had all suffered heavy losses, and mankind was forced to rebuild civilisation from scratch without their magic to guide them. We obeyed Yukari's orders and kept ourselves hidden: firstly out of grace and respect for our comrades, then out of spite as they poisoned the earth for their own gains, and finally out of fear as they began to produce weaponry that could even make a youkai bleed.

It has been thousands of years since that battle ended, and many have forgotten their vow. The Black Claw does not refer to itself by that name in public, but it has gained great influence in every race of the youkai. Those who were willing to stand vigil for the seven Sirens Yukari spoke of diminshed, until finally there was little beyond a few ragtag folks who had taken part in the war and young ambitious initiates looking to do the right thing.

We are those final few. Those last youkai who remain loyal to Yukari Yakumo, and will follow her orders to protect both mankind and the world. We are the Order of the White Pearl, and as long as we draw breath we will aid you in any way we can."

Nitori motioned out to the compartments filled to the brim with devices and gadgets, still unseen.

"I'm not really a fighter, to be honest. All I'm good at is building things. But damn if I'm not pretty good at that. You want it, I can make it. Hell, if you can dream about it, chances are I can put something together. All I ask of you is one thing."

She looked out at Koishi and Mokou, a tiny glint in her eyes. This clearly meant more to Nitori than to anyone - it was her own failing, and it was one she would do all she had to in order to repair.

"Fight with us. Stop the Claw from regaining their lost power. And above all, make sure this meaningless war doesn't claim even more lives."

* * *

><p>Sango wasn't in the room to hear this briefing - no need, since she'd learned all of this back when she became an Initiate. This was why she'd been assigned to simple guard duty, watching over a subject who wasn't even conscious.<p>

Not exactly the most taxing work, but if it had to be done she'd do it.

"Phwee...Fujiwara-san sure packs a punch."

Cirno seemed nowhere nearer waking up. Sango had tested the theory by poking her occasionally in the side, but there had been no response. Occasionally she'd started to wonder if the girl was even breathing, leading to a panicked examination and a relieved sigh.

This cycle repeated every five minutes or so.

There was only so long she could spend concerned about the well-being of their guest without getting bored, though. She wished she could be joining in with the briefing, if only because she figured her side performance would help to liven the mood. She did a really great Ravager impression, but no-one had given her a chance to show it off.

Her attention turned to the chair behind Nitori's desk. She'd never sat in one before - she was used to the solid backs of the school chairs, practically stabbing into your spine to keep you sitting straight. This, though - it was flexible, and she felt more comfortable just looking at it.

Initially, she gave the piece of furniture a light prod, seemingly afraid that it would collapse at her touch. When this calamity proceeded to not happen, she found the nerve to pat it with a hand. The blue fabric gave way slightly, like a pillow had been built into the actual chair.

Sango's eyes glimmered. She lowered herself down into the chair with the utmost care, hearing it squeak as she came to rest. It felt almost like she was melting into it, but in the best way she could imagine.

"Why don't we students get awesome chairs like this?"

She pushed off the floor with one foot, sending the chair twirling with an unexpected burst of speed. She'd turned a mundane piece of furniture into a fairground attraction, and she was loving it. She was going to buy a chair like this and insist Koishi let her sit on it at home. She'd write her own name on it if she had to, but she couldn't get enough of this comfort.

Unfortunately, though Sango had invented the sport of swivel-chair pirouettes, she hadn't quite got the hang of balance. She wasn't aware that the chair was tipping until it was already too late for her to stop.

"Phwee?!"

It fell backward, rattling against the floor with a rough sounding clang. Sango smacked her head on the back of the chair - enough to make her wince, but with no lasting damage. Her first reaction was to pick up the chair and return it to its original spot so that there was no sign of her little playaround.

Her second reaction was to panic at the sight of Cirno shuffling around.

_Crap, the sound must've woken her up!_

She dashed over to the Fairy as she began to rise up into consciousness. Sango had to stop it, right now - if the girl woke up and saw the base in Room 495, she'd be in all sorts of trouble.

Now, how was it that human lullaby went again...?

* * *

><p>"So, you two. Are you willing to help us?"<p>

Nitori's question carried a slight hint of inevitability. It wasn't really a question, per se - she certainly didn't expect either of her guests to turn around and say no after everything they'd seen.

Mokou was first to answer. She put her hands down firmly on Nitori's desk, a grin rising to her face.

"Taking out a bunch of self-righteous youkai who want us all to blow ourselves up? Yeah, you can count me in for this one."

Nitori smirked, giving the phoenix a nod of acceptance. And what about you, Koishi-san? If you want to turn back, it's still not too late."

Koishi didn't share her companion's hot-blooded eagerness, but the look on her face was one of quiet determination.

"...So, this power of mine. It saved Cirno-san?"

She didn't seem to believe what she was saying, and looked to Nitori for confirmation. The professor's face was solemn as she spoke.

"...Yes, it did. If you hadn't shown us that new power from your third eye, we would have had no choice but to kill her. She's alive now thanks to you."

She'd saved a life. Her, all on her own. They couldn't have done it without her. The words floated around in her head for a while, struggling to be accepted. She felt important, useful, in a way she hadn't before.

Even though she was smiling, she could feel her eyes watering as she offered her response - not out of sadness, but out of pride.

"If that's the case, then I'll do it. There are going to be people depending on me, relying on me...I can't let them down."

It was still strange for her to think about. People relying on her, of all people! It flew in the face of everything she'd believed in a week ago, but it felt so good to hear it and believe it.

"Excellent, you two! I'm glad to have you both as our allies. Now, that leaves us with one problem - what to do with our Fairy friend. We don't know what effect Koishi-san's powers have had on her mind - whether she can still see magic, or if she can even remember the events of this evening. We need to test her, and the best way to do that is for you both to speak with her and see what she still knows."

Outside, there was the sound of a chair clattering against the floor. All three of them looked in its direction, but of the three Nitori was the least unfazed.

"Given Sango's antics, I'll suggest you get to it post haste. Wipe the blackboard on the way out, please."

They didn't want to know how Nitori was so sure of what was going on, and frankly they didn't care. Koishi and Mokou dashed out of the hidden chamber back into Nitori's official classroom, where Sango was circling Cirno's murmuring body in a panic.

"Rock-a-bye fairy on the tree top, when the wind blows the tree branch will rock..."

She was trying to sing the girl back to sleep, but given that Cirno's mumblings were getting louder she wasn't doing a very good job of it. It didn't help that her knowledge of human lullabies was pretty horrendous.

"When the branch breaks, the fairy will fall, and...wait, fairies can fly, can't they? This song makes no sense, dammit!"

"Outta the way, babysitter!"

Mokou took point before things could get any worse, grabbing Sango by the shoulder and guiding her towards the hidden room. She took the chalkboard eraser and wiped at the Pearl's mark; no longer seeing the sign of entry, the wall closed back in on itself and left Sango and Nitori on the other side. They weren't trapped by any means; Nitori could open the passage from her end, but she obviously wouldn't do so until the coast was clear.

"Mmh...uuugh..."

Cirno groaned as she finally returned to the world of the living. Her first conscious motion was to clutch her left cheek, muttering profanities her mother would have been ashamed of. Koishi and Mokou were standing over her as she awoke, looking down with concern.

"Kid, you alright?"

Cirno needed a moment to get to terms with where she was. Her eyes glanced around the room, confirming that she was in the math classroom. She blinked, then blinked, then blinked again.

"Uh...I think so...but what happened?"

Koishi and Mokou turned to one another. Had she forgotten? And if so, how much? For now they'd have to test it, and Koishi quickly came up with a story to pass on.

"You tripped on the way home, remember? We tried to take you to the nurse's office, but she'd left for the day, so we stayed here to make sure you woke up."

Was it an iffy statement? Undoubtedly. But Cirno let it pass, apparently unable to think up an alternative. She pulled herself upright, still rubbing at her cheek.

"Y-Yeah, sure. I remember. Heh, I must've looked pretty dumb back then, huh?"

Koishi caught it, even if Mokou didn't - that tiny hint of sadness in her eyes, the flickering of a tear in the light. It wasn't the sort of weakness she imagined Cirno letting anyone see. She'd changed, slightly but visibly.

A breath caught in her throat. She'd done more in Cirno's head than remove the mindcoil - she'd seen Cirno's two halves, her pride and her determination, and she'd brought them together. This was no longer the self-absorbed leader of the Fairies, even if in terms of appearance she remained exactly the same.

Cirno looked over to Koishi, her lip quivering slightly. Words were trying to come out, but she was struggling to say what was on her mind. Mokou looked on from the side, raising an eyebrow, unsure exactly what was unfolding in front of her.

"I...I'm..."

Cirno rose to her feet, looking Koishi straight onward in the eye. It was easy for even Mokou to see now - the Fairy's eyes were streaming with tears, as the words finally started to take form.

She bowed down towards Koishi, as low as her back would let her.

"I'm really, really sorry...!"

* * *

><p>"So, she's forgotten about the magic as well...that's a shame."<p>

Nitori was still firmly placed in her chair, watching the conversation unfold from the relative anonymity of the back room. Sango stood besides her, watching the computer with as much attention as her superior.

"But isn't that a good thing? It means we don't need to worry about her passing on any info."

"True, but it also means she can't tell us who gave her the mindcoil. We've never had a chance to properly interrogate a victim of the Claw's brainwashing, and it seems like we never will."

Nitori muttered to herself as she continued to observe the girls' discussion. Cirno appeared much more docile than had been purported - perhaps there had been more to Koishi's intrusion than simply giving her back her free will? She would look into it.

"You sound disappointed, ma'am."

"Do I? Sorry. I guess that with all the other miracles Koishi-san's worked for us today, I shouldn't have been expecting this one on top of everything else. I should be happy enough that she's saved us from getting our hands dirty."

A painful silence hung in the room; both because they needed to avoid being overheard next door, and neither of them had anything cheerful to say. After what felt like an age, Nitori broke the deadlock.

"You shouldn't have been playing around on the chair."

Sango's head drooped.

"Sorry...it just looked so comfortable, and..."

"Sometimes I worry about your professionalism, Sango. Do you know how much trouble we could have had to clean up if she'd seen this passageway? Perhaps you are still too inexperienced for this post."

The stern tone in Nitori's voice was enough to bring her subordinate to attention.

"Y-Yes, ma'am! It won't happen again, I promise!"

Her words were genuine...perhaps too much so. Nitori looked up, seeing Sango tremble at the thought of being relieved of her duty. There were others Nitori could replace her with - one or two other youkai who could take her place.

But none would have reacted to the fear of demotion with the same concern Sango had.

"...Still haven't forgiven yourself, have you?"

Sango flinched, and slumped back downwards again. She shook her head.

"You couldn't have done anything," Nitori said. "The Claw took us all by surprise with that attack."

"I know, I know. But still...I need to make up for it. For her sake, and for everyone else's."

Sango needed a moment to pull herself together. Eventually, with a deep breath, she rose back upwards and stood straight.

"But...can I make one request, then?"

Nitori raised an eyebrow. She wasn't sure what to expect from this; Sango had never requested anything beyond her rank before.

She certainly hadn't been expecting a smile, that was for sure.

"Can you tell me where you buy these swivel chair thingies? I'm gonna get one at home so I don't have to borrow yours."

Nitori had to stop herself from laughing at that one. Maybe the dolphin wasn't the brightest tool in the shed sometimes, but she couldn't deny Sango could put a smile to her face when she tried.

_Yup,_ Nitori thought to herself._ These kids might just do alright as a team._

* * *

><p>Koishi and Mokou tended to Cirno as she sobbed herself dry, apologising profusely for everything she'd done. It had taken a lot of careful wording to stop Cirno from descending too far down into depression, and the occasional compliment along the lines of 'it's brave of you to admit this' kept her from clamming up halfway. The two Sirens listened patiently to every word.<p>

After what felt like an age, Cirno's apologies and confessions drew to a close. She sniffed weakly, rubbing at her nose and wiping the last few tears from her face. She'd had her rant, she'd made her apologies, and now she needed out of this state before it devolved into sheer self-pity.

"...I'm gonna have to hit the books pretty hard, aren't I? I've got a lot to catch up on."

"Hey, same here," Mokou said, placing a hand on Cirno's shoulder. "I've not really been the best pupil myself."

Cirno was about a head shorter than the Siren. Koishi saw the temptation to ruffle at Cirno's hair glimmer in her eyes.

"Koishi-san!" Mokou resisted the urge, turning to Koishi instead. "You're a brainiac, right? Feel like helping us two morons get back up to speed?"

Koishi nodded. She could use something to do with her time, and they always said the best way to learn was through teaching. Maybe she'd be able to pick her own grades back up as well with this.

"Sure thing, but I think we should make that four. I think Sango-san could use some help as well. Do you mind, Mokou-san?"

"You bet. That fine with you, kid?"

Cirno seemed to have gotten lost in the conversation. Her eyes drifted from Mokou, to Koishi, then back to Mokou again. She was searching for some trace of sarcasm, some hint that they were simply kidding with her and this was just another shot at her intelligence. All that she saw was a pair of cheerful, smiling girls, offering her help without asking anything in return.

From Cirno's point of view, they must have looked like-

"S-Sure! If all of us work together we're gonna ace those exams, no problem!"

-friends.


	15. Reprieve

Things petered out rather comfortably after that. Cirno had been true to her word; though she ended up facing a lot of flak from all the teachers and pupils she'd inconvenienced during her stint as gang leader, she took on the task of winning back their favour with a brave face and a proud smile. It was the same expression she wore during her weekly study session with Koishi and friends - at least, when she wasn't rubbing her head in confusion and asking for clarification.

Koishi had expected every day to be a riveting adventure, with brutal combat and epic battles taking place on every street corner. She was happily disappointed, then, to learn that Claw activity seemed to be focused mainly on finding the Sirens now. They knew that the Pearl's two new allies were too powerful for them to take on with their current forces, and as potent as the mindcoil was it couldn't place someone under the claw's control without a grudge to control them through. They needed a reason to attack, and in all honesty the Sirens were either too well-liked or too unknown for the Claw to have any worthwhile targets for recruitment.

This meant that the search for other holders of the Teardrops took precedence for both parties. Sango would routinely go out for walks alongside Koishi after school, letting off a phwee or two when no-one else was looking to scout the area for potential Sirens. So far they hadn't found anything, but there had been no sign of the Claw getting hold of anyone either, so it was more or less a stalemate.

Sometimes these trips would have the pair out until the dead of night, but today they'd chosen to finish early. Koishi had a test impending for the next day, and given that they'd had no luck up until now she figured she could afford to spend an evening revising. Sango would be doing some revision too, whether she liked it or not - the last thing they needed was for Sango to be held back a year.

They returned home much earlier than normal, and Koishi didn't bother to knock as she entered the house.

"I'm ho-"

No voice responded to her, but the sound of hurried movement out the hallway spoke volumes. Koishi barely had time to acknowledge there was a figure standing there before it had vanished, but it was wearing familiar shades of yellow and green.

Her clothes? Definitely.

"Koishi-san, stay back!"

Sango leaped in front of Koishi, holding her arms out to guard the corridor. The move stunned Koishi as much as it confused her.

"Sango-san...what are you doing?"

Sango looked back at Koishi with the most serious expression she could muster.

"Protecting you, obviously. Someone's here to attack you, and it's my job to keep you safe!"

Koishi needed a second to fully take in Sango's line of reasoning before finally pushing her out the way.

"H-Hey, didn't you hear what I just said?!"

Sango didn't go to the full extent of holding her back, but she motioned for Koishi to stop in every way she could imagine. The girl walked on regardless, heading straight in the direction the mysterious figure had ran. The trip led her into her own room, and immediately Koishi could see that her wardrobe was hanging open, ruffled with pieces of clothing hanging out. It had been recently invaded, that was obvious, but the thief was nowhere to be seen - at least, not immediately.

Koishi, though, had a good idea of where to look. She only knew one person who took refuge here, and she always chose the same spot. Sango stood in the doorway, mystified, as Koishi walked over to her bed and pulled up one of the bedsheets that had fallen over the side.

A long black tail was beneath it, wriggling around anxiously as its owner hid under the bed. Just as Koishi had expected. She reached down, running her hand down it quickly but carefully.

"Nyaah!"

Orin practically flew out from under the bed, pinning herself to the opposite wall. She wasn't wearing the ordinary dark green dress, instead having chosen to wear Koishi's traditional garb. Given the obvious differences between the two, it didn't quite fit her - in particular, the shirt was beginning to strain slightly, thanks to Orin's human form being considerably more endowed than her master's.

The awkward silence in the room may well have lasted an eternity. Koishi wasn't keeping count. The cat looked up, her face bright red, and Koishi's eyes looked down at her in mild confusion. She didn't say anything, but the thoughts rushing through her mind said more than enough.

_OhcrapohcrapohcrapKoishi-samawasn'tmeanttoseethisnowIlookreall yweirddon'tIhowamIsupposedtoexplainthi snyaanyaanyaaaaaaaaaah_

It took a long time for Koishi to muster up enough sensibility to react. The sight of Orin dressing in her own clothing had been enough to stun her into silence, but eventually she managed to offer a useful response.

She giggled.

"Orin, if you wanted me to get you a change of clothes, you could have just asked."

That was enough to take Orin's composure apart. The panicked thoughts in her head started pouring out into words, inconsistent and desperate.

"N-No, Koishi-sama, that's not it! I just always thought you looked cute in these clothes, so I wanted to try them on while you were away and - wait, no, that sounds even worse, doesn't it?! Nyaaah, I'm not really this strange, I swear!"

She was almost on the verge of tears, sniffling and covering her chest. Sango had yet to recover from the initial shock, still standing in place with her jaw hanging wide open. Koishi looked into her head, but all she could hear was the word 'phwee' being repeated over and over.

She'd have to move things along herself, then. Looking away from Orin for a moment, Koishi reached into the wardrobe and pulled out a large black hat with a wide brim. A yellow ribbon ran around it, the same colour as the shirt it accompanied. Walking over to the frozen feline, Koishi placed the hat as neatly as she could on Orin's head. It stuck up a little higher than it should have, mainly thanks to Orin's ears.

"There. Now the outfit is complete."

Orin seemed confused for a moment, reaching out and touching the brim of the hat to confirm it existed. She pulled herself to her feet, looking over at a nearby mirror, and realising she didn't look half bad in it. The shirt was definitely too small, though - if she wore it for much longer, the thing would probably end up tearing.

"S-Sorry about this, Koishi-sama...I won't do it again, I promise..."

Koishi took the whole thing in her stride, smiling.

"It's okay! And I'll get you some more stuff to wear in the next few days too. Sango-san, you're fine with paying, right?"

Sango didn't answer. The poor girl's brain still hadn't managed to come to grips with this whole idea, and now she was muttering her phwees to herself out loud. She probably needed to go lie down for a while.

"O-Okay...thanks. But there's one other thing you should know. Okuu is-"

"Unyuuu!"

Sango's inanimate body was shoved aside as Utsuho burst into the room. Koishi and Orin both turn their attention to her, and once again the sight left them both speechless. She'd tried to do the same thing, but apparently the concept of putting on a shirt had been slightly beyond her, and she was currently wearing it upside down. Her wings were poking out of the arm holes, her arms jutting out alongside them, and the entire piece of fabric looked set to come apart at any moment. On the bright side, though, at least the skirt seemed to fit.

"Orin...am I doing this right?"

Koishi's face shifted from confusion to amazement to hilarity. She couldn't hold it in any more. She laughed, loud and hard, harder than she could ever remember laughing in months. It was a ridiculous incident, but it was the sort of thing that she'd never have had before she was wrapped up in this whole Dolphin Rider nonsense. She'd never interacted with Orin and Okuu like this - indeed, she'd barely acknowledged their existence, feeding them and giving them as little attention as possible beyond that.

She regretted that, but all she could do now was make up for lost time. So she laughed as loud as she wanted to, putting aside her thoughts of civility and manners. She laughed until her throat hurt, before finally promising she'd offer Okuu the same as well, and she'd even go so far as to cut in little slits for her wings to pop out of. The raven was touched by the act, cheerfully hugging her mistress, and the cat joined in soon afterward. They hadn't been this close to each other in who knows how long.

Of course, while all of this was happening, Sango was still standing straight, staring out blankly with a look of total bafflement on her face. Koishi could probably have waved a hand in front of her face and got no response, and it took her a good minute or two to regain her composure and return to the world of the living.

_'Phwee...this isn't what I signed up for...'_

* * *

><p>"Alright, class, start heading on home. And clean out your test tubes - you'd rather not know what nearly befell this classroom the last time someone left their work unfinished."<p>

Professor Yagokoro - Eirin to her fellow teachers, and even a few of her favourite pupils - offered her students leave at last, bringing the after-school revision class to an end. She was offering revision in chemistry for the upcoming exams out of the goodness of her heart, and thanks to her reputation as a teacher the class was always near-full. No-one actually knew about the incident she was referring to, and most of the older students simply thought of it as her way of scaring people into fixing things up. Either way, no-one was brave enough to risk not following her orders - the ever-present picture of an earth-shattering explosion on her chalkboard was enough to leave them washing out everything at the sink five minutes after the class had ended.

They were good students, for the most part. There had been a couple of faces she hadn't been expecting here, though - notably, the pair currently residing at the back of the class, currently struggling to wipe a murky red mixture from the bottom of one of their test tubes. The taller girl, the one with the long black hair, was wiping something off the other girl's arm. She was Mokou Fujiwara - a student who'd been very much one of her brightest pupils until a few months ago. It was good to see her back on course with her studies - she looked out for her favourite students, and Mokou was definitely one of them.

"There. That didn't hurt, did it?"

The shorter girl gave a proud grin in return as she shook her head.

"Not at all! I'm tougher than I look, Fuji-san!"

Mokou smiled, lifting a piece of cotton off Cirno's arm. A 9-ball shape, presumably what had once been on the girl's skin, was now resting on the cotton which was hastily thrown into the trash can. This little surgical procedure put the pair behind the class by a few minutes, leaving them alone with Professor Yagokoro. She examined the operation from a safe distance.

"I don't recall giving you any chemicals that would work for tattoo removal," she said.

"Personal mixture, brought it from home," Mokou said without skipping a beat. "'Course some big company's already got just about all the patents I'd need to sell it, so I've gotta settle for using it myself when I can."

Eirin's eyes widened. The area on Cirno's arm where the cotton had been pressed was slightly red, but there would be no lasting damage. Her eyes looked down to Mokou's. They had always fascinated her - brown, but such a brilliant shade that sometimes if the light hit them at just the right angle they would flicker scarlet. She'd assumed they were contacts the first time they'd met, but when Mokou told her it was natural it had only made her even more curious.

The student and her teacher stared at one another for a moment. Eirin had been in education long enough to tell that there was a question she wanted to ask, but it stayed unspoken. From the stern look she was getting Eirin figured it had to be a personal matter, and she was proven correct when a few seconds later.

"Kid, mind heading on ahead? I'll catch up with you in a little bit."

Cirno tilted her head, not quite understanding why Mokou needed to stay behind, but she was willing to comply. Cirno had been another student Eirin wasn't expecting here - it was rare enough to see her in class, so an arrival from the (ex?) head Fairy had been almost enough to dislocate her jaw from hitting the floor. She seemed much more calm and willing to learn, though, which from Eirin's point of view could only be an improvement.

Mokou was quick to close the door behind Cirno the moment she'd left. Eirin leisurely strolled towards her desk while her student pulled up a stool from the side to sit across from her.

"So, what is it you'd like to know, Fujiwara-san? Missed homework? Extra credi-"

"What can you tell me about Kaguya Houraisan?"

Eirin was taken aback by the force with which Mokou asked the question. It wasn't an unfamiliar name to her - quite the contrary, in fact.

"Oh, yes, Houraisan. I do recall her, in fact. She studied at this school a few years ago. An excellent student, in just about every definition of the word. At your level of genius, even."

This news did nothing to faze Mokou. Perhaps she'd been expecting it, but that question was only the first.

"So if she was a student here, does that mean her folks came to parents' evenings and stuff like that?"

Eirin nodded. She had no idea where Mokou was going with this, but from the completely serious look on her face she figured it had to be important. To an extent this was breaching her confidentiality as a teacher, but she knew the girl well enough to be sure this information wouldn't be misused.

"...Yes, they did. It was her father, and him alone - I never heard what happened to her mother, but I assume she died young. He would attend regularly, sometimes even making extra meetings to double-check on Kaguya's progress."

Now they seemed to be getting to the crux of the matter. Mokou began to lean forward on the chair, her head looming above the desk.

"Stop me if this is inappropriate, but was Mr. Houraisan...memorable in any way?"

It was inappropriate. It was definitely inappropriate. She was being asked to give away information on not just a former student, but said student's immediate family. Eirin was in no position to pass on this information, and if anyone found out about it she was likely to be stripped of her position or even her license to teach. If it had been any other student, she'd have forced them out of the room with threats of cleaning up duty for the next dozen lab sessions.

Mokou was different, though. She was both one of Eirin's personal favourites, and she had just emerged back in the classroom after a long hiatus. She'd seen the girl walking around in an absurd shirt and suspenders combination, and it was a relief to see her wearing the sensible school uniform again.

The questions about a former genius pupil, and Mokou's sudden disappearance. Eirin couldn't help feeling they were related, and that it was taking more courage than it seemed for Mokou to come back here and ask this of her. Given that, it only seemed fair to offer her what she needed - even without knowing a word of the story, she could tell this was of the utmost importance to the girl.

"...What I am about to tell you does not leave these walls. Am I understood?"

Mokou gave a salute. "My lips are sealed, ma'am."

The smile on her face was only slightly forced. Eirin gave her credit for that. She sighed before her tale began, already reminiscing over times she'd rather have forgotten.

"Mr. Houraisan was...very memorable indeed. Before anything else, there was the way he dressed. I am told he ran only a small pharmacy at the time, but he arrived at every meeting in the most impeccable suit, ironed solely so he would look his best when he appeared. The stench of perfume reached me from across the table as we talked, and given the sniffing sounds that interrupted us I'd assumed it reached the members of staff besides me as well.

As a person? He was...agreeable, cheerful, looking to throw in a joke and make a good impression any chance he could get. At least, that was how each of these meetings would start, but it never ended that way. He would listen intently, nodding with every compliment I offered his daughter - and I gave Kaguya every compliment she deserved, splendid as she was - but whenever I said she had done only 'very well' his brow would furrow rather suddenly. He would ask why I had chosen not to say 'excellently' or even 'perfectly', and I would explain to him that she had made one or two trifling errors in the last examination. They were simple slipups even fully qualified chemists would occasionally fall prey to, but hearing of even a single mistake on his daughter's part would be enough to kill his mood."

Eirin seemed to grow more dreary the more she spoke. She was imagining that face again, looking straight into her eyes with that pure intensity; that sheer white anger when he learned of his daughter's failings. Mokou nodded along, gleaming some unspoken knowledge from Eirin's expression.

"After that, he would listen reluctantly to the rest of the talk. He clearly was paying no attention. His mind was...elsewhere. I would not like to consider where, not with that rage filling up his eyes. It is not something I have a right to consider as a teacher, and...I've said too much, sorry."

She was regretting everything she'd said now. She had been concerned back then, afraid that Kaguya's father had punished his daughter harshly, but it wasn't her position to interfere and she'd seen no sign of injury on the girl during class. She'd been happy to file the thought away and forget it, but now the old worries were rising back to the surface. She'd wanted to bring it up to someone official, even for the sake of being safe, but without solid physical evidence that something was going on it was out of her hands.

"No problem, ma'am. I think I get the idea. Sorry for making you think about it."

Mokou seemed happy as she got to her feet. Eirin shook visibly, the image of the man glaring at her fading away. She breathed a sigh of relief.

"It's fine, Fujiwara-san. Just don't skip class again, and we'll call it even."

"Consider it done. Thanks again for all of that."

The student offered her a quick, fervent wave at the doorway before she slammed it behind her.

* * *

><p>Mokou let a deep breath out, feeling her shoulders slump a little. She'd heard everything she needed to hear to confirm her suspicions - the 'touching' need Kaguya had to impress her father was nothing of the sort. She needed to talk to the girl herself now, hear the whole story. Maybe they'd fallen out now, but they'd been friends once, and Mokou still felt she had the right to know.<p>

Now, if only she could find the courage to try visiting Eientei again...


	16. Recon

**Beep. Beep. Beep.**

The alarm went off earlier than it needed to - there was still a good hour and a half before school started. She only needed an hour at most to cross the city, and that was if she stopped to grab breakfast along the way.

Regardless, Koishi reached over and gave the machine a good smack to shut it up. It was cathartic, if nothing else, and the sheer force with which she hit it was usually enough to pull her out of her sleepiness. She crawled out from underneath the covers, her nightgown dragging along behind her as she went to the bathroom to wash her face.

Now that she thought about it, she didn't have the same dreams anymore. It used to be that she would wake up in the middle of the night, either reaching out for a sister that wasn't there or choking on water that didn't really exist. She had been too scared to sleep properly, keeping herself awake for days on end until at last her body would force her to rest.

She still had the occasional nightmare, but it was the exception rather than the rule now. Getting back to sleep was easier too - Rin was a light sleeper, and if she heard Koishi startle back awake the cat would be on her lap within seconds, offering herself to calm down her mistress. Petting and stroking her worked wonders, and Koishi would be back to sleep within half an hour, the nightmare that had haunted her too vague to stay frightening. Her work done, Rin slumbered peacefully on her mistress's bed in case she rose back up again, but that was rarely the case nowadays.

As such, it no longer needed the same gargantuan effort for Koishi to wake up in the mornings - in fact, as she started on her morning routine, she looked almost excited about the day ahead of her. She stepped into the bathroom to splash her face and get rid of the last traces of sleep.

As she saw Sango lying asleep in the bathtub, she was slightly disturbed by how at ease she was with her being there. The pair had come to a compromise in terms of Sango's nightwear - namely, Koishi had needed to convince her it was a good idea to wear anything. There were plenty of things she was willing to get used to along with this whole Siren business, but waking up a naked youkai every morning was not one of them.

After some long, hard deliberations, Koishi had finally managed to teach the dolphin the concept of human indecency, and Sango was slumbering in human form when her friend entered. She found her normal clothes too warm to sleep in, so instead she'd opted for a long, pale-blue shirt with a carefully-placed slit to let her fin through, and a grey bikini bottom to cover her lower half (again, at Koishi's insistence). It was only slightly less unusual to look in on than a dolphin in the bathtub, but the immediate confirmation that she was wearing clothes helped to calm Koishi's nerves.

"Morning, Sango-san."

"Mmph."

Sango was a surprisingly light sleeper - it would only take a few words aimed at her to wake her up. Koishi remembered reading somewhere about dolphins only resting one half of their brain at a time, so that would explain it. Sango gave off a muffled complaint from beneath the water before pulling herself up and out of the bathtub. As the carpets were once again soaked through, the Siren couldn't help but sigh. Really, with all the restrictions, Koishi had been trying to subtly tell Sango that there was another bed for her to use that wouldn't drip water all over the floor. She'd expected Sango to pick up on the suggestion, but she'd overestimated the dolphin's ability to think outside the box. Maybe tonight she'd just tell Sango to sleep in Satori's old bed.

Besides the heaving puddles left in Sango's wake, the morning routine went more or less like that of any ordinary household. Get changed, have breakfast, feed the pets, get ready for school, and get started on that long walk across the city. Nowadays, though, they took a more scenic route, because they saw enough of the city's main streets in the evening.

It was only after school they engaged in their more supernatural investigations, examining Gensouto's main streets and walkways in the hope of encountering a Siren. They'd been doing it almost ritualistically for the last two weeks, but besides Mokou they'd made no discoveries. No Sirens, no signs the Claw had managed to find one either, and not so much as a trace of a Teardrop's presence.

Koishi was unnerved by this fact. She'd considered bringing it up a few times previously, but she didn't want to give off the impression she had no faith in Sango's ability to find the Teardrops. Now, though, she'd decided this had been long enough, and finally put her concerns into words.

"Sango-san, I have a question. Is it meant to take us this long to find the Sirens?"

Koishi had been surprisingly quiet on their latest walk. Sango flinched at the question, then sighed.

"Honestly? No. The boss figured that at least six of you would've been found by now - either by us or the enemy, but we're nowhere near that. We've been going through every area of the city that other girls your age is likely to visit, and we've found nothing."

That wasn't exactly the illuminating answer Koishi had been hoping for, but Sango didn't seem to be quite finished yet.

"The boss also said there were two big points that could be responsible for this lack of progress. The first is that there really aren't any Sirens to be found - they were born here around the same time you were, yeah, but that doesn't mean they're still living in Gensouto. For all we know, the other five Sirens are scattered across five other continents. Which is a good call for us, because it means the Claw are never gonna get all the Teardrops together."

That seemed like good news, but looking at Sango's face suggested otherwise. She looked pained, almost frustrated.

"Of course, the boss has already ruled that option out, even if it makes a whole lot of sense."

Koishi raised an eyebrow there. It wasn't anger, per se, but she didn't seem to comprehend the idea she was trying to pass along.

"Why, exactly?"

"Because apparently this has all been planned out."

A statement like that was enough to stun Koishi into silence for a few seconds.

"Wait, you mean who becomes the Sirens? Who would have planned that?"

"Who else? The woman who set the whole thing up, Yukari Yakumo. Apparently not only did she work this whole thing into her magic-sealing ritual, she managed to see thousands of years into the future and choose just the right kids for the job."

Skepticism was more than obvious in her tone, and Koishi didn't have to guess why. She wasn't exactly familiar with magic, but she could guess that prediction to that extent was verging on impossible.

"And you're telling me the professor believes that theory ahead of the simpler, more logical one? That doesn't sound right coming from a physics teacher."

"It's different with Yukari. I mean, I wasn't born until after the war, so I never knew the woman, but apparently there's a whole bunch of weird rumours about her. Things like how she was really a super-intelligent alien who landed on the planet riding an asteroid, or how she was actually responsible for the birth of not just all youkai, but all life on the goddamn planet. If you listen to enough of the stories, it seems as if the woman's a freaking god."

Koishi was vaguely aware of her mouth going dry. It was hanging open as Sango spoke, unsurprisingly, as the story became more and more dramatic. Sango herself seemed undecided about how to feel - her face screamed frustration, but her voice sounded more unsure and willing to consider the possibility.

"I mean, I trust the boss. She's the smartest woman I know, so if she's got a good enough reason to think this is all part of some big plan I'll believe her. It's just...not the sort of thing you can take in without firsthand experience."

"Sort of like what magic is to people who've never seen it before?"

Sango stood upright suddenly as Koishi made the comparison. It had clearly never come to her quite like that before, and she nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, I guess it's kinda like that. I mean, if you just told someone that you were some kinda crazy magical girl with superpowers, they wouldn't believe you unless you proved it, right?"

Her face brightened. Koishi had picked just the right curiosity to lift her out of what could otherwise have been a rather awkward topic. As they continued down the route to school, the two girls couldn't help but smirk at one another, giggling at a joke no-one around them could have possibly understood.

* * *

><p>For the most part, the discussion that followed was routine by her current standards. Explaining whatever parts of human culture Sango happened to be confused about today, explaining why they were being taught math techniques that would be no use in real life, and so on. It soon dawned on Koishi, though, that one part of her old routine had been lost in the transfer. The Scarlet Bakery, where she'd always stopped by to get something to munch down fervently on the way to school - she hadn't visited it in a fortnight now that she was making her own food rather than living on take-away. It seemed a shame to just disregard them, especially since the attendant had been concerned for her while she was at her worst. She glanced at her watch - still plenty of time to spare. They could afford a little detour, and with a few changes in direction she lead Sango backwards towards the store.<p>

She was not expecting to see a hastily written up sign on the front saying 'CLOSED INDEFINITELY'.

"What the...?"

Sango didn't seem to understand the relevance of this fact, looking back from a distance and wondering why Koishi was suddenly so interested in this strange red building. The lights were still on inside, and a quick inspection of the door confirmed that it was unlocked, and Koishi knocked hastily before letting herself in. Immediately the bare shelves and counter caught her eye, so the note on front was deadly serious.

"Hello? Meiling-san, are you here?"

Someone was hunched down on the other side of the counter, presumably taking something off the floor. She thought at first it had to be Meiling - after all, who else would be behind the counter? - but the sound the stranger gave off was one Koishi would never attribute to Meiling. It was a cough - just loud enough to be concerning, but not quite loud enough to suggest she was actually choking. A voice rose up soon afterward, quiet but angry.

"Damned Meiling. You'd think she would dust down here once in a while..."

The voice's owner rose to her feet, spluttering now and then. The first feature Koishi's attention fell upon was her skin - white as a sheet, a colour that definitely foretold of poor health. Long hair - purple, but deliberately dyed as such rather than magically so - carried down to her shoulders, multiple loose ends killing off its gravitas. Her jade eyes stopped on Koishi with surprise for a moment, but it quickly gave way to annoyance as she brushed the dust off her reading glasses.

"I assume you were in too much of a hurry for your breakfast to read the sign outside. We're closed, so if you'd like to leave and let me get back to my duty?"

Her word choice was archaic, overly formal, like she'd deliberately taught herself the oldest and most respectable dialect there was. Japanese didn't appear to be her first language, but Koishi couldn't put a finger on her nationality. European, definitely, but nothing beyond that.

"Uh, sorry, that's not it. I just used to be a regular customer around here, and I wanted to know what the problem was-"

That was not the best choice of words, and the sickly girl grew as angry as her health would allow her.

"Used to be? I can certainly believe that, given that you haven't noticed in the last few days. Our resident cook has gone missing, and without anyone to prepare our food we can hardly expect to sell it. Until we either find the woman or get hold of a replacement, the bakery will be indefinitely closed, so I'd rather you left me be to think of with all the money we'll be losing in her absence."

The anger didn't seem directed at Koishi as much as it was pointed towards the missing cook. The girl's rant ended in another series of hacked coughs, and Koishi almost reached over the counter to hold her in place.

"Your cook? You mean...Sakuya-san, right?"

She remembered the name vaguely from Meiling's discussions with the girl. On hearing it, the sick girl seemed to grow more interested, eyes widening slightly.

"Ah, you know her?"

"Uh, not really...but if you give me a description I can look out for her, if you want."

Behind the bookish reading glasses, Koishi saw the girl's eyes glisten. She took a handkerchief from the side, pulled out an elegant-looking pen, and began to jot down details.

"Sakuya Izayoi, nineteen years of age. Dark blue eyes, pale blonde hair running in two braids down her face. Not her natural colour, could well have changed it by now, so be cautious. Jumps between being serious and being ditzy with such absurd haste that I've long since given up determining which is the dominant side. Should you by some miracle find her stalking the streets, inform her that Patchouli is willing to accept her back and overlook this for a measly fifteen percent paycut."

The handkerchief was filled to the brim with various facts and details about the girl, most of which Koishi would have no use in knowing (her three sizes? Was she meant to look out for a suspicious looking chest?). As soon as she'd written down everything she could think of, she practically forced the tissue into Koishi's hand, her eyes looking straight for the door.

"Go. There will be a voucher in it for you if you find her."

Koishi would have done it whether or not there'd been a reward, but it was a nice bonus on top of everything else. Besides that, she wanted to get out of this building as soon as she could - not for her sake as much as for the sake of the bookworm who'd have an aneurysm if she shouted at Koishi any longer.

"Sorry about that, Sango-san! Think we might have to pick up the pace if we want to make class on time..."

Sango was staring up at the building in confusion when Koishi returned. The detour had taken them a little longer than Koishi had planned with this turn of events, so now the trip to school was going to be a little more rushed. Sango, though, didn't respond, even as Koishi pointed downward. All she heard from Sango was a quiet, almost muttered phwee.

"We can come back and admire the architecture later, but we really need to go right now, Sango-san!"

Koishi found herself needing to haul her dolphin friend down the street, unable to pull her attention away from the building, and whispering too quietly for her to hear.

"...No, it isn't. It's too faint..."


	17. Breakin

School was still a complicated affair. Koishi had tried her hand at a few of the school's clubs - partially to search for Sirens, and partially because she just wanted something new to do with her time. She'd never been quite athletic enough to find acceptance in one of the sports clubs, but groups like shogi and journalism had been more keen to take her in. In the end, though, being a Siren meant she didn't have enough time for regular attendance. She could barely afford to study in her spare time.

One lunchtime a week was devoted to the study group consisting of herself, Sango, Mokou and Cirno. Mokou was the group's go-to girl in questions of biology and chemistry, reciting facts and numbers instantly without needing any references. Unfortunately those were her only real strong points, and in every other area she looked to Koishi for guidance. [This still put her well ahead of Sango, who was trailing in more or less everything.]

Yet Koishi felt awkward in Cirno's presence sometimes. Sometimes she would ask if Cirno remembered anything unusual, just to see if the Fairy really had forgotten everything. So far, the answer seemed to be yes, and more than once Koishi had been tempted to just tell Cirno what she'd been through - but Nitori had given her explicit orders against that. She forced herself to bite her tongue and join in the congratulations when Cirno cracked a difficult problem.

Earlier events hadn't just affected how Koishi saw Cirno, though. Nitori, the clumsy but well-liked math professor, was secretly the head of some sort of magical underground sect - and Koishi had to act as if she had no idea about it. She had never been so conscious about her choice of words before - and to keep herself on the straight and narrow, she kept herself to 'Kawashiro-sensei' at all times. Calling the professor by her first name could lead to some very uncomfortable questions.

After a day like that, Koishi was always more than happy to leave the school behind. With every moment demanding her full attention and focus, the patrols she took around town with Sango were the closest she got to relaxing outside of sleep. She was also keeping an eye out for that chef the woman from the bakery was looking for - Sakuya, wasn't it? - but really she couldn't do much beyond stare into the crowd and watch for a pair of giveaway blonde braids. The handkerchief gave her more information to work with, but she was hardly going to stop every girl she walked past and measure her height to see if it matched up.

"You okay, phwee?"

Sango caught her staring at a random girl in the crowd, and it was only then Koishi realised she hadn't found the time to tell her companion about the favour she was doing for the baker. She relayed the story in pieces, passing the handkerchief to Sango as evidence she wasn't making it up.

"34, 27, 32? Koishi-san, what do these numbers mean?"

"You'll understand when you're older." Mokou snatched at Sango's hand, pulling away the handkerchief to look at it herself. Sango glared at her momentarily, but got back to her duty as the group's phwee-er.

"Man, blood type AB? How exactly did the crazy asthma chick figure THAT out?"

"I don't think I want to know."

It was unusual for Mokou to accompany Koishi and Sango on their daily rounds, but today's trip was something out of the ordinary. Since travelling along the usual paths hadn't turned up any results, they were instead starting to patrol around some of the less densely populated areas. Today's trip was set to take them into one of the more questionable areas of town, and Mokou had volunteered to come along as extra muscle. None of them were familiar with the district, but the rumours around school more or less spoke for themselves.

There were stories of middle-school students playing around there only to be robbed blind of their lunch money. Senior students would head there after dark for some adult entertainment (Sango had asked for clarification, but neither Siren could bring herself to explain it further). There were stories of drunken brawls, and even murder when things got really rough. The awkward part was that the district had almost no distinctive qualities, save for one building that stood out above the rest - the Rabbit's Foot, Gensouto's only casino and easily the largest gambling house in the country. Through a variety of loopholes in Japanese law, the Rabbit's Foot had managed to get away with the sort of gambling that was otherwise illegal. Gone was the stranglehold of pachinko - the Foot let its customers play from dusk 'till dawn at blackjack, roulette, poker, craps, and every other Western gambling game that came to mind.

Of course, a place like this undoubtedly had a dark past behind it. The incidents mentioned in the school rumours conveniently started alongside the casino's inception. There was talk of shadowy groups running with the Rabbit's Foot as a front, a mafia-like syndicate that rigged its games and used the profits to run all sorts of unlawful goings-on. Nothing had ever been officially held against the casino's owner - a Mr. Morichika, whose personal life was a mystery to everyone bar himself - but the police force had been trying to pin his name to something for an age.

Frankly, if this was the sort of area they were going to be looking over, Koishi was glad to have Mokou along. They were getting glares from passers-by the moment they entered the district - as the sun began to set in the distance, the gamblers were starting to migrate towards their hunting ground. It was only an equally venomous glare from Mokou that convinced some of the angrier looking ones to stay away - Koishi and Sango wouldn't have made it more than two or three blocks without someone trying to relieve them of their possessions. The fact Sango's jacket had a large bulge where her wallet was stored did nothing to help on that front.

For a while, Sango let up on her phweeing. They stood out in the street clearly thanks to being the only girls there, and men in their twenties and thirties were glaring at them without welcome. As the casino drew closer, she caught one or two girls in the street, dressed far too well for their age and looking barely old enough to gamble, doing nothing beyond telling stories about the amazing jackpots they'd won at the Rabbit's Foot a few days ago. Koishi had never seen such blatant advertising before.

The glamourous girls grew more plentiful as the trio approached the casino itself. It was the sort of building that seemed like it would be visible from space; Koishi couldn't look at the gaudy lighting for more than a few seconds before her eyes began to water. The name was emblazoned above the entrance in blindingly bright red, with a four-leaf clover next to it for good luck. Maybe it was a cunning advertising ploy on the part of Mr. Morichika - make the outdoor lighting so painful that intrigued customers would literally run inside to escape from it. The same would apply for everyone living within three blocks of the casino, which could only be good for business.

Sango marched on, unfazed by the tacky light display above her. Koishi and Mokou were a few steps behind, both of them shielding their eyes from the neon bombardment. A red carpet ran for a good two dozen steps before stopping at the entrance, with a pair of double-doors that would have suited a palace separating them from the casino itself.

Unfortunately, there was also a rather large man in a jet-black suit who intended to do exactly the same. Sango was a few paces from the door when an arm suddenly flew out in front of her, sending her stumbling back a few steps.

"Sorry, kid. Tonight's Mr. Morichika's No-Limit Festival. Invited guests only."

Sango pouted, pulling out what Koishi quickly identified as a passport. It had to be a fake, but Koishi definitely wouldn't have realised it if she didn't know Sango was far from an ordinary girl. The dolphin held her ID right in front of the bouncer's eyes, as it declared her to have turned twenty-one just days prior. [Koishi wondered for a moment if Sango had several IDs claiming she was several different ages; and more importantly, what Sango's actual age _was_.]

"Why do you call it a no-limit festival if there's a limit on who can get in? I'm legal, phwee!"

The bouncer was unimpressed, not so much as budging even with the passport about to smack him in the nose. He adjusted his glasses slightly, sighing.

"Very funny, kid. It's called the No-Limit Festival because it's the one night we lift the usual limits on how much folks can bet. You can stick a million yen on one hand of blackjack if you want, but because we're a respectable gambling house we're only letting in people on the list. Can't let in kids who'd bet their mom's savings on one hand of poker, see."

Sango looked incredulous, pulling a childish face but not offering any sort of response as she pulled her arm back. Koishi felt strangely relieved by that - Sango knew the rules of blackjack about as well as she knew the history of the Sengoku era (in other words, she had absolutely no idea). Mokou took her place, an eyebrow raised in faux curiosity.

"You're letting people gamble as much money as they like? Is that even legal?"

That earned more of a reaction than anything Sango had said. They couldn't see his eyes move, but his brow furrowed in frustration.

"Girl, I'll have you know that the Rabbit's Foot is a perfectly legalised gambling house. We've been given permission to run this event, like every other event we run, by the national government itself. If you're going to walk up here and start spouting slander about us with no evidence or basis, I'll carry you back to your goddamn mother kicking and screaming. You got me?"

Mokou returned the glare she was given without a hint of doubt. She seemed perfectly confident that she could handle this man, and given past experience Koishi had no reason to think otherwise. For a second, she actually thought Mokou intended to go through with it, but at the last minute the health nut let off a reluctant sigh.

"Alright, alright, I got it. Sorry for wasting your time. Have fun standing there for the next six hours."

With that, Mokou made sure to start on a quick retreat before things grew even more difficult between the pair. Sango stormed off in a huff, still offended, while Koishi bowed and offered muttered apologies about the behaviour of her friends. They collectively disappeared around the next corner, where a building was kind enough to shield them from the casino's onslaught of light.

"...Well, looks like we aren't getting in," Mokou said. "Bit of a dumb place to look for a high school girl, anyway. Wanna just call it quits for tonight?"

Koishi nodded. She could use a chance to relax after taking in that much gaudy architecture at once. Sango wasn't quite as eager.

"Lemme check with the boss first. She kinda insisted we give this place a proper look."

Sango pulled out her cellphone, hitting the speed-dial option and waiting for the professor at the other end to pick up. Koishi noticed her language suddenly growing much more formal and polite as the call began.

"Agent Sango reporting. ...Yes, patrol in progress. Attempts to enter the casino have ended in failure. Requesting abort."

Koishi giggled slightly. It was hard to watch Sango pretend to be so formal with a straight face. There was a slight pause as Sango waited for a response.

Then she got one, and her face fell.

"...Ma'am, are you sure we need to go that far?"

The giggling stopped. The look of utter confusion on Sango's face was just panicked enough to have Koishi frightened.

"We've got no evidence linking a Siren to the building, ma'am! Not to mention the place is guarded pretty carefully, and there's all the rumours about underground activity-"

Sango stopped mid-sentence. Slowly, but definitely, her face began to turn bright red.

"O-Operation Toad-In-The-Hole? You're kidding, right?"

The operation's name alone was enough to puzzle Koishi, and the exasperated look on the dolphin's face only served to unnerve her further. Mokou, for now, managed to keep her visible emotions down to a single raised eyebrow.

"...No, ma'am, of course I wasn't doubting your authority! It's just that...it's so _extreme_ when we don't have any evidence, and the Sirens won't have any clue how to-wait, no, don't hang up, we should consider this more before we-Hello? Hello!?"

Sango shook the phone from sheer desperation. After a few seconds of silence, her shoulders slumped as the life faded from her eyes.

"...Uh. We'd better go get something to eat, because we'll be out working tonight."

Koishi had figured as much from the conversation, but there was an important question that she didn't have an answer to.

"Sango-san...what's Operation Toad-In-The-Hole?"

The dolphin didn't answer at first, which in all honesty was more frightening than any answer she could possibly have given. All she did was blush and fidget, muttering incomprehensibly to herself.

Mokou and Koishi looked at one another briefly.

They gulped in unison.

* * *

><p>Technically, she should probably have felt good about this.<p>

From the way Sango had responded to Nitori's demands, Koishi had figured they would be breaking in by force, or doing something else equally likely to result in pain and loss of life. In regards to lethality, this plan was actually a good deal better than what she'd been expecting.

At the same time, it impressed her seeing just how well the professor had planned for this. Her official occupation was that of a teacher, but she ran several companies behind the scenes that existed solely for covert operations. None of these companies operated on a regular basis - they were fronts so that the Pearl could get through whatever red tape happened to be in their way. When she needed them to, though, Nitori had the equipment and the know-how to run everything from a birthday party to a golden anniversary.

Unfortunately, the only company that worked for this situation was a catering company, offering a variety of snacks and refreshments for the tired gambler. And Nitori needed something unique to sell the company to the casino and make sure they got in. Something that went along with the theme of the Rabbit's Foot, in particular.

This was the reason Koishi was wearing a bunnysuit right now, and she prayed to whatever god happened to be listening that this was going to be a once-in-a-lifetime occurence. It was tighter than anything she'd ever worn, was a shade of white that made it feel like she'd turned into an abominable snow-woman, and just to add insult to injury came with a pair of rabbit ears on top.

She would have been less heartbroken about wearing it if she wasn't surrounded by men, some of whom had been drinking constantly for the last hour.

"Hey, lady! Gimme a gin and tonic over here!"

A customer called out to the bartender, a grown woman wearing a suit matching Koishi's but in a deep shade of blue. She winked at the customer, pulling an arm out in Koishi's direction.

"Sure thing, buddy. Hey, Flopsy, come give this man his drink!"

Nitori pulled out a glass from behind the bar, twirling it around with impossible grace. She lifted a bottle out from below, removed its top, and hurled the whole thing upward into the air. In an effortless display of style, the bottle stopped pointing straight down, its contents landing neatly in the glass. Even as the bottle of gin began to fall, Nitori took out a second bottle of tonic water and poured it in alongside the waterfall of alcohol. Only when the gin bottle came dangerously close to colliding with the glass did the former teacher grab it with her spare hand, pulling both bottles away and leaving behind only a dry bar and a perfectly prepared gin and tonic. She found plenty of time to add a lemon for garnish amidst the applause.

Koishi had a moment to glare at Nitori as she came to the bar to collect the drink. The kappa seemed totally shameless, and if anything she seemed to be having fun. Koishi, on the other hand, was working miracles by keeping a straight face, and her cohort offered her a friendly nudge to keep her spirits up.

"Relax, Flopsy. It's for the greater good and all that, y'know?"

If the greater good involved embarrassing herself in public repeatedly, then sticking to the sidelines was becoming more and more appealing by the second. Eventually Koishi sighed, taking the glass and being careful not to spill its contents.

"Yes, Kawashi-I mean, Cotton-Tail."

Nitori was pleased to hear Koishi stick to the codenames she'd handed out earlier, offering her a friendly pet on the ears. Koishi stepped back as far as she could in a single step before beginning on the painful march to the man's table. No-one spoke a word to her, but she could feel a few glares headed in her direction, and a wolf-whistle or two in the background.

To be fair, though, she was having it easy compared to Mokou - or Mopsy, as she was currently known. She filled out the outfit much better than Koishi did, and as a result she'd earned more male attention than either of her counterparts. The fact that Nitori had picked out a sultry scarlet outfit for her only served to make the matter worse. Koishi hadn't seen much of her during her time on the job, but the few times their paths crossed she heard the phoenix whispering words that would have probably made even their customers blush.

Sango couldn't take part in the bunnysuit shenanigans, simply because a back-fin on a bunny-girl would raise all sort of questions. Koishi looked over to a nearby pool, where snacks and appetisers were being handed out by what Nitori had titled the Mer-Maid. Sango had been set out in what was effectively a swimsuit with an apron in front of it, swimming from one side of the pool to the other to retrieve food for paying customers. The fin, she could now insist, was part of the outfit, and nothing worth commenting on. For a moment, she looked Koishi in the eye, and the Siren was almost bowled over by the shame in Sango's gaze.

One thing was for sure. If this 'covert operation' didn't turn up a Siren, the professor would be looking over her plans and getting rid of anything that even resembled Operation Toad-In-The-Hole.

Her subordinates wouldn't give her a choice in the matter.


	18. Gamble

The rules for the evening were simple. At the beginning of the night, every contestant would put in as much money as they wanted to bet, and they would play against each other until one lucky winner went home with everyone's winnings. The games were solely player-on-player - the casino itself was simply sitting back and watching. That confused Koishi - how could they make a profit if none of the money was going their way?

Koishi wasn't the sort of girl who could run a casino, now she thought about it. Maybe there was some logic to the system she didn't understand - attracting customers through attention and fame or something. If so, it wasn't obvious enough for a non-gambler like her to understand.

Better that she thought about that than dwelling on the outfit she'd been forced into. She was better off than Mokou and Sango in that department - one of them was blushing furiously the moment anyone looked in her direction, and the other was on the verge of a genocidal rampage. Even when the crowds started to die down and the amateurs were thrown out, Mokou looked like she'd snap if anyone so much as touched her.

Professor Kawashiro she didn't seem to be sharing in their embarrassment. She was clearly enjoying herself, loving her job even if it was just an act. Koishi saw her pouting like a child as the flow of customers stopped. Apparently, when there were fortunes to be made, no-one had time for her bottle-twirling, cocktail-flinging antics.

The hours rolled by, and the players rolled out. The casino grew less and less crowded, leaving only the hardened professionals in the building. They had little time for refreshments, giving Koishi a chance to slip behind the bar unnoticed.

"Um, Cotton-Tail?" she said. "There's something I was wanting to clear up with you."

Nitori was lost in her work, only looking up when her name was called. Her face lit up, one hand still fiddling with the glass she was cleaning out. "What's up? Want me to teach you how to do some of these tricks? Took me a few years to get down, but I figure there's no harm in trying to take on an apprenti-"

"I'll pass, thanks."

The smile on Nitori's face vanished hastily at that. Koishi didn't allow her to ponder it for too long, pressing onto the actual question.

"...Why do you think there'd be a Siren here?"

A sly grin rose to Nitori's face. "You and Mokou have your specialties, but neither of you are especially...practical when it comes to real-world matters. You're talented, Koishi-san, but you're not particularly good at anything, and Mokou-san only knows how to punch things. To balance the team out there should be someone with a little more cunning, wit, street-smarts, whatever you want to call it. Where better to look for a girl like that than a high-stakes casino?"

Koishi took mild offense to being told she had no specialties, whether or not it was true. Besides that, Nitori's logic seemed awfully like wishful thinking - assuming a team of well-rounded teenagers would get the Teardrops was a big thing to ask. A point that Sango had mentioned earlier in the day came to her, one that had seemed unbecoming of the highly scientific professor.

"...Is this part of your whole 'Yukari planned it all' theory?"

Nitori flinched initially, her grin shifting into a look of surprise. A second later she regained her composure.

"I see Sango's been talking to you."

Koishi nodded. No reason to hide it, after all. Nitori sighed to herself, rubbing a little harder at the glass.

"She's always been a skeptic. All the young ones are. You'd have to be - even by youkai standards, Yukari was just plain unbelievable. If I hadn't seen her myself, I'd probably be just as doubtful as she is."

There was a hint of nostalgia in Nitori's voice, a hanging remembrance of times long since past. It was not a pleasant memory, and her grip on the glass grew tighter to the point where Koishi was afraid it would shatter in her hand. She made to change the subject, but from the distant look in her eye Nitori wasn't really talking to her any more.

"We were the first to meet her. The kappa, I mean. One day she just walked into one of our caverns and declared herself a friend of our people. It would have taken her hours of walking through underwater caverns beneath thousands of feet of water pressure to get there. She wasn't human, but at the same time she was like no youkai the world had ever seen. Some theorised she was some sort of deep sea youkai, or that she was an alien from a meteor that crashed into the seabed, or that she was an embodiment of the planet itself. She never told, and no-one ever figured it out."

The look in Nitori's eyes was youthful. It was the childish look of awe that ran across a girl's face as she witnessed something amazing that she couldn't explain. It was accompanied by a tiny hint of sorrow.

"I only caught glimpses of her myself during breaks from my studies. We were an advanced race, but we had limits - we couldn't, say, split the oceans or light the seabeds. Yukari was different - if someone asked her to do something, no matter how hard, she could make it happen with a click of her fingers. I doubt she was truly faultless, but she was so many magnitudes of power above us it seemed like her power was infinite. If she had anything that remotely resembled a weakness, she did a damn good job of not showing it to anyone."

The glass was shivering in her hand now. The first tiny sounds of cracking were beginning to fill the air, barely loud enough for Koishi to make out right next to her. Nitori bit her lip, and anything resembling a cheerful memory from before faded away.

"...At least, not until THAT day. When the Ravager went feral and began killing our own people, we asked her to intervene. She tried, with every spell and charm she could muster, but we had gone too far. Its barriers and defenses were impenetrable."

Something washed over Nitori then. Koishi watched her shoulders tense in their sockets, every other muscle in her body following suit. Her voice rose in volume until it was almost audible at the card table.

"So she died, of course. Think of it. Yukari Yakumo, ruler of all youkai, the woman who brought the races together under one banner, the strongest creature this planet's ever seen. Dead. And it was my fault, wasn't it? I helped build the very weapon that killed her. If I'd just kept that thing under control, we could have avoided all this. There's be no White Pearl, no Black Claw, no-"

Koishi wasn't the strongest of girls, but she still slapped Nitori hard enough for the sound to silence the room momentarily. Only long enough for them to confirm it wasn't a gunshot, but it was significant nonetheless. A second later, the gamblers were chatting with each other again.

"Stop that." Koishi's voice was more venomous than even she had been expecting. "You're meant to be an example, aren't you?"

Nitori was caught off guard by the attack. She grabbed at her cheek with one hand, staring wordlessly at Koishi.

"Kawashiro-sensei, look at me. I'm just your everyday highschooler, and I am in about five miles over my head." Koishi trembled, her eyes beginning to mist up. "I try not to show it, but sometimes I'm having trouble keeping it all together. I still think about Onee-chan, and there are days where I just want to fall apart."

She held a hand out to the kappa, still shivering. "But I'm trying to get away from that. I'm trying to leave the past behind and move on. And seeing you fall into the same trap..." Her body was racked with one sob after another. "It scares me. I mean...if you can't do it, what chance do I have?"

Nitori's expression shifted from anger to sorrow to shame. She pulled forwards, engulfing the Siren in a hug. Koishi went limp in her arms.

"Don't cry, Koishi-san." Nitori patted her on the back, holding her close. "I didn't mean to scare you like that, I promise. I'm sorry."

Koishi just cried for a while, her face buried in Nitori's chest. She let out everything that was welled up inside her before finding the strength to pull away. By then her head had caught up with what her heart had done.

"Ah." Koishi bowed forward in embarrassment. "Kawashiro-sensei, I didn't mean to-"

"It's alright." Nitori reached down, patting Koishi on the head. "You're struggling, too. And you were right - moping isn't going to get us anywhere." She rubbed at her cheek with her other hand, pouting. "But could you maybe find a less aggressive way to tell me next time?"

Koishi's face was a brilliant red. "U-Uh, sure." She paused for a moment, her eyes welling up again. "And Kawashiro-sensei...thanks for understanding."

"I told you, it's fine." Nitori ruffled at Koishi's hair for good measure. "Now go clean yourself up, okay? We've got a Siren to find."

* * *

><p>Koishi came back a few minutes later, her face washed and her composure restored. There were almost no customers now, but she had to stay on guard just to make sure no-one tried to get a drink from Mokou. Now that the phoenix was both tired and humiliated, she was just about on the verge of randomly attacking someone, so Koishi took on every customer she could.<p>

Sango, contrary to popular belief, had been doing something useful other than supplying snacks. She had been phweeing every now and again as customers approached her for food. In all that time, she'd seen nothing resembling a Siren - not even a girl of the right age. She also asked several times to be reassigned to a job that was less embarrassing - a suggestion Nitori refused every time it was asked.

The hours passed slowly, but surely. The hall was too vast for them to examine properly without blowing their cover, but games of every sort were available here. The emphasis was on Western gambling, so poker, blackjack and the like were the big attractions here, with dealers helpfully informing beginners how to play the games. It was all very welcoming and friendly, leaving Koishi to wonder how this place could be linked to criminal activity at all.

She nearly slipped into sleep again, and had to slap herself in the face to keep herself alert. At least when there were customers she'd had something to focus on, but seeing all these men playing games she had no clue how to spectate on did nothing to keep her awake. It was only the sound of a loud bell ringing in the background that stopped her from taking a quick nap. A loud, authoritative voice boomed through the hall.

"Attention, remaining competitors! We are now down to ten players. Please head to the centre table to take part in this evening's final game!"

Ten? They were down that far already? Koishi rubbed her eyes, seeing the hall had emptied while she was distracted. There were only a few survivors left, and they'd all crowded around the centre table with fiendish looks in their eyes. Especially that one on the right - eyes, almost glinting red, with a cockiness and confidence no-one around the table could match-

_Wait..._

It couldn't be. The odds were astronomical, weren't they? She hadn't seen her in years, not since that time in cram school. It had to be a coincidence, but still...she had to check. Before she was even aware of what she was doing, she'd started walking away from the bar towards the table. The closer she got, the surer she became that her eyes weren't deceiving her.

That girl, the one sitting eagerly with the large pile of chips at her side. Her attention totally focused on the cards flying across the table, her hand absently playing with her top chip. Her dress - long, pink, just ornate enough to look elegant without looking overblown. Her short black hair, poorly kept down as if the stress was too much for it.

There was no doubting it now. This girl was Tewi Inaba, the kid who'd offered Koishi the treasure map that led her into the accident years ago. The girl who couldn't tell the truth to save her life.

It was tempting to call out to her right now, but it wasn't the time. For one, what was she going to do? Accuse Tewi of nearly getting her killed? It'd get her thrown out at the very best, and she didn't want to think about how else the bouncers would respond if she caused a fuss at the most critical moment of the night.

In the end, even being there was enough to catch their attention.

"Hey, aren't you one of the bar girls? What're you doing over here?"

The man was at least two feet taller than her, and three times as heavy. He could probably sit on her and leave an imprint on the carpet if he wanted to. Stuttering slightly, she tried to pull out a save.

"U-Um, I was just thinking it'd be good to stand near the table so people don't have to walk away to order drinks...?"

The questioning tone in her voice didn't win her any favour with the bouncer, but he couldn't argue with her reasoning. He sighed.

"Fine. But not a word to anyone while you're at the table, y'hear? Mr. Morichika isn't gonna have his evening ruined by some petty cheating."

Koishi nodded, more than happy to get out of this mess without having her ribs shattered. The bouncer stepped aside, standing statue-like as play began. Each player was offered two cards, examining them and betting on their worth before more cards were dealt. She stared at the table, mystified, until a hand pulled her back from behind.

"The hell do you think you're doing, Komeiji-san!?"

Mokou pulled her back almost hard enough to send her to the floor. Koishi looked behind her to see Mokou's eyes popping out of her skull.

"Sorry. I had to check something for myself."

Koishi looked over to the pool, where Sango was taking a much-deserved break. Koishi's words jumping into her brain was enough to send her head snapping upwards.

_Sango-san. You said there weren't any girls visiting your stand, right?_

There was a moment of pause as Sango thought the point over. Koishi could see her nodding in the distance.

_**Um, yeah. Pretty much. Why?**_

Koishi looked at the table again, this time focusing on the players rather than whatever game it was they were playing. Most of them were the typical riff-raff you could expect to be hanging out at these casinos, but there were two notable exceptions.

_I count...two of them here._

The first was Tewi, an effortless aura of dominance hanging over her. Her stack was already higher than most of her opponents, but it paled compared to the girl across from her.

"Oh, these cards not very good. I be folding now."

She had all the signs of a stuck-up socialite, wearing a denim-jacket and shorts in some sort of attempt at rebellion. Her Japanese was horribly broken and accented, and she had the blonde hair of a typical American. Koishi couldn't make out her eyes behind a pair of sunglasses, whose purpose Koishi couldn't quite place. It wasn't hard to guess that she'd made it here out of sheer luck, but she was surrounded by seasoned gamblers now. Her luck couldn't last much longer, surely.

**_What? You're kidding, right?_**

Sango hauled herself out of the pool, drying herself off before she made her way to the table. She used the same excuse Koishi had - staying near the table so that she could offer snacks to players without forcing them to leave their seats.

By now Koishi had watched enough of the game to have a vague idea of the rules. They called it 'Texas Hold 'Em' after a state in America, and it was a simple matter of making the best hand out of your own cards and the cards laid out on the table. She couldn't claim to know any more than that, but it was enough for her to watch the game and have at least a vague idea what was going on.

The last hand before Sango made it to the table was dramatic enough for even a beginner like Koishi to understand.

"All in."

The man right in front of her pushed all of his chips into the centre of the table, a smug grin running onto his face. He started to run a hand through his mullet through sheer nerves - no-one could play for that much money without the pressure getting to them. From here, Koishi could make out his hand - two Aces. Even Koishi could tell that it was a hand worth betting on. His opponents didn't even need to see those cards to know it was time to get out, throwing their hands into the muck.

The action finally turned to Tewi. She glanced at Mullet, examining his expression for a moment. Koishi saw her nod once, measuring out the same number of chips in her own stack. She sighed heavily.

"Eh, I'm feeling lucky. I'm gonna call that one."

The last few players folded, leaving Tewi and Mullet in on their own. There was no point in betting anymore, so both sides simply put down their cards on the table for all to see. He laughed out loud as he placed his two aces on the table, standing up and flexing his arms. Tewi pouted, revealing a meager jack and king in her own hand.

The first three cards were thrown down. A seven. A jack. An ace.

"FUCK YES!"

Mullet pumped his fist so hard that his elbow almost dug into Koishi's chest. Tewi stuck her nose up, but the revelation didn't seem to hurt her in the slightest. Koishi was puzzled by that. Was Tewi such a good player that she'd learned to shield her emotions?

Or did she still think she could win?

"C'mon, Lady Luck. Gimme a little help right now..."

Tewi grabbed at the carrot-shaped pendant around her neck, squeezing it tight. The room was silent, the tension unbearable. The fourth card was dealt.

A King.

Mullet's celebrations came to a sudden halt. He looked down at the King currently lying on the table, blinking rapidly. Both of his hands were now clamped onto his hair, sweat dripping onto his brow.

"...No way."

Tewi simply smiled. Again, her reaction was muffled - she'd gone from a hopeless scenario to a genuine shot at victory. Why didn't she seen to care?

The last card almost seemed to fall in slow motion towards the table. Everyone was looking at it like it was made of solid gold - except for Tewi. Koishi saw her step out of the chair and celebrate before the card had even been played.

A few seconds later, everyone else knew why.

"The final card is the King of Clubs. Miss Inaba has made a Full House and won the hand."

Most of the players responded with shocked gasps and mild applause. All, at least, except one.

"What the fuck?! The hell is this bullshit!?"

Mullet was furious, grabbing at his hair so fiercely Koishi thought he was going to rip it clean off his head. He immediately took strides straight towards his opponent. His fists clenched up, his knuckles turning white, and he looked set to punch a hole straight through Tewi's head.

A much larger and well-built bouncer stopped him before he could do anything of the sort.

"Alright, pal, we'll have none of that shit in here! Get out before we have to send a stretcher for ya!"

Mullet's face ran a series of emotions - anger, fear, guilt, hatred, bravado, panic - until finally, the survival instinct took precedence. For a moment his entire body shivered before finally he bolted for the door, trying not to let anyone see that he was crying in his last moments.

Silence returned to the table. Every eye was transfixed on the door Mullet had just departed from. The sound of Tewi adding her new winnings to her stack of chips pulled them back to the game at hand.

"Heh. Wuss."

If the tension had affected Tewi at all, she didn't show it. Koishi would've been impressed if she hadn't seen Tewi's lying antics years earlier.

**_Huh? What did I miss?_**

Sango showed up just as the game began to pick up again, like she'd timed her arrival to be moments too late. Koishi paused, her heart racing just at the thought of all the money at stake.

_I...honestly have no idea. Tewi - that girl there in the dress fluked a win on a crazy hand._

Sango tilted her head. **_Fluked, huh? Well, apparently we're here to look for someone with real guile, not just dumb luck. This night might've just been for nothing..._**

The dolphin slumped downward at that. All those hours of embarrassment and disgrace, and there was nothing to show for it. She let out a tiny, pitiful sound as her dignity fell into the distance.

"P-Phwee..."

No-one heard it other than Koishi. For a few seconds, there was no sound in the room other than the shuffling of cards.

Then, in time with Sango suddenly standing to attention, a hurried sentence jumped into Koishi's head.

**_K-Koishi-san! I...I got a response?!_**

Koishi's heart jumped. Nitori's crazy theory had turned up a result after all? Maybe Yukari had just chosen someone who luck had a habit of smiling on.

_So, wait...is Tewi...?_

Sango looked over for a moment, her face frozen. After a few slow, painful seconds, she shook her head.

_Wait, you mean-_

Both of them looked over to the other side of the table, towards the clueless-looking blonde girl with a stash of what was probably her father's money.

_She's a Siren!?_

* * *

><p>There was no way either of them could pay full attention to the game now. They'd hit the metaphorical jackpot - the Siren they'd gone through all that trouble to look for, and it was some blonde bimbo who looked like this was her first time in the country.<p>

_Sango-san, are you sure about this? Maybe the sleep dep is getting to you._

Sango took offense at that, pouting childishly in Koishi's direction. **_Hey! Say what you want about me in other areas, but I trained my sonar senses for years! No way I'd make a mistake not seeing a Siren right in front of me._**

Koishi bit her lip. She trusted Sango, but believing that this girl was a Siren was almost too much. Where was the cunning and wit Nitori had been expecting from her? She looked like she'd lose in a debate with an inanimate object.

Still, Sango had never been wrong up until now, so she decided to run with it.

_Go tell the others about this. Get them to watch as well._

Sango nodded, running back to the bar to bring Mopsy and Cotton-Tail to join the audience. They didn't miss much of interest - Blondie folded yet again, still not happy with her cards. Slowly but surely, the chips she needed to put in every few hands started to add up, and her stack began to dwindle.

There was something wrong with this. Sango said she was a Siren, and yet nothing she did was remotely Siren-like. Koishi reached towards her eyes, making to take off her glasses, only to remember at the last moment Nitori had given her and Mokou contact lenses to serve the same purpose while in disguise. Her reasoning was that bunnygirls and glasses was something of a fetish overload, reasoning Koishi now suddenly wished didn't exist.

It was a long wait as the four 'caterers' watched Blondie. Eventually they learned that her name was Luna Fullerton - even her name felt clunky and out of place here. She seemed perpetually clueless. Occasionally Nitori would look over at her hand to see her throwing away the best hands for nothing. Did she even know how to play this game? Koishi had caught onto the rules after a few hands, and it seemed like even she would do better playing than this girl.

"Oh, me sorry. Me thought I winning, but maybe not."

When she did play hands, it seemed almost at random. She could play the best cards possible or the worst hand she could ever have been dealt with equal confusion, and only the sheer size of her starting stack stopped her from going totally bankrupt.

Meanwhile, Tewi was making short work of the other players. Sometimes she simply had a better hand from the start, other times she pulled out a lucky escape on the last card. Whatever it was, her stack was gradually rising.

Eventually, there were only three players left. Tewi, Blondie, and in last place a stick-like man in a pair of broad-rimmed glasses. By now, Tewi held roughly three quarters of the money up for grabs - hundreds of millions of yen, enough to live on for the rest of her life. Still she showed no sign of cracking under the pressure, sitting back in her chair as she threw away the latest crap hand to come to her.

That left Blondie and Glasses to contest over the last pot, with Glasses to act first. He glanced down at his cards, then at Blondie. He shuffled his glasses slightly to align them, then pushed what remained of his cash into the pot.

"I'll go all in, please."

It was a brave move, but not foolish. Koishi had been paying enough attention to notice that if anyone went all in, Blondie would remove herself from the game as quickly as possible with a frightened look on her face. This was a quick way to pick up the small amount she'd paid to enter the hand; not much, but enough to keep him afloat for a little longer.

Or at least, that's what he had planned.

"Mr. Glasses Man. Can I ask question?"

Blondie was staring at the chips. At least, Koishi thought she was - it was hard to tell behind those sunglasses of hers. Glasses put on a smug grin, adjusting his collar.

"Why, anything for a charming lady such as yourself. What is it?"

He was playing the charisma card, but it had failed miserably. The four girls spectating moaned uncontrollably as the words left his mouth without any sense of pizazz.

The moaning stopped the moment Blondie asked her question.

"Did you know you always shuffle those glasses of yours when you bluff?"

There was a sudden, deathly silence. Tewi raised an eyebrow in confusion, while Glasses pulled back like he'd just been shot.

"W-What?! But how did you-"

He'd said too much. His hand slipped over his mouth, the colour slipping from his face. He'd given himself away in the worst way possible. Without a second thought, Blondie pushed her own stack in as well, calling the man's claim. She allowed herself a more mature chuckle as she laid down her pair of queens on the table, her Japanese suddenly natural and fluent.

"Would you like to know a secret? You don't really shuffle your glasses when you lie. I just wanted to see how you'd respond."

Glasses didn't offer a response, his cards falling to the floor. A four and an eight - practically useless. Sure enough, five dealt cards later, and Blondie's queen-pair was triumphant. She reached over, pulling in Glasses' stack from in front of him without so much as a hint of remorse.

"Oh, and thank you for calling me charming. Though I assume in the hustler's dictionary, that's another word for 'gullible'."

The man Blondie had just eliminated from the tournament didn't even try to respond with words. He held his head in his hands, his eyes seeming dead as he stood up and trudged out toward the exit. Unlike Mullet, no-one needed to threaten him to leave - he shuffled along, still stuttering and moaning to himself in shock.

Koishi was only slightly more coherent, rubbing her eyes to make sure she'd actually seen what she thought she'd seen. Blondie's stance was completely different now - she sat up straight, and the sunglasses were pulled away to reveal a pair of piercing blue eyes.

It had been a trick of the highest calibre, and Koishi had been completely taken in by it. Looking at her sides, she could see Sango and Mokou giving off the same dumbfounded looks, but Nitori simply watched on with a proud grin. This was the sort of trickster she'd been looking for, and she'd just proven herself in style.

Tewi offered the girl a small round of applause.

"Not bad. I shoulda figured you wouldn't have made it this far without having a good idea what you were doing. I'm guessing Luna isn't your real name either?"

"Of course not. Only an amateur would see fit to use a real name along with a fictitious character. But, since I'll be doing my best to relieve you of that fortune of yours tonight, it is only fair that I tell you who I am."

What came out of her mouth next was enough to make Koishi's skin crawl.

"My name is Sakuya Izayoi, and rest assured that stack of yours will be mine within the next two hands."


	19. Showdown

It was the most absurd coincidence Koishi could think of. A dormant Siren, in the onlyplace where they shouldn't have found one. She was finding it easier and easier to believe that Yukari was planning this all by the minute.

Mokou and Sango were only slightly less shocked by this new revelation, but their attention was still focused on the game itself. Sakuya had just made a dramatic declaration, one that threatened to turn the tide of battle in only two hands. For the first time, Tewi let her emotions brim to the surface.

* * *

><p><strong>Her eyes widened as Sakuya's threat carried across the table. There was no way Sakuya could bring her claim to fruition - she only had a quarter of the chips in play, so to win that quickly she'd need to go all-in on both hands, have Tewi call her both times, and then go on to win them both. Tewi was in no way forced to play either hand, and if she didn't have a hand she was confident in nothing was stopping her from folding and waiting until something better came about.<strong>

**And yet, there was a voice at the back of Tewi's head telling her not to play this cautiously. Firstly, folding a hand after a claim like that was running away, and she wasn't ready to give some total unknown the pleasure of seeing her run away from a fight. Secondly, the odds were against Sakuya to begin with - if Tewi won either of these hands, the game was over and Sakuya would go home broke.**

**Thirdly, and most importantly, it wasn't possible for her to lose a showdown when the cards were on the table and everything was on the line. There was no need to think about it any more than that.**

* * *

><p>The cards were shuffled. The dealer seemed slightly disturbed by the sudden change of events, but besides the occasional awkward cough he did what he could to keep his nerves to himself. Only slight inaccuracies in his throwing of cards across the table gave him away.<p>

Sakuya looked down at the cards she'd been offered for less than an instant. It was enough for her to decide the hand was worth risking everything on as she pushed her stack into the middle of the table. She was keeping to her threat of winning in two hands. There was an almost sadistic glint in her eyes as she looked across to Tewi, leaning over and grinning wildly.

"Well? Are you going to play or not?"

* * *

><p><strong>Tewi was admittedly stunned by Sakuya's actions. To put millions of yen on the line after only a moment of contemplation - Sakuya was either the bravest gambler she'd ever seen, or a complete and utter lunatic. Perhaps a bit of both? You couldn't survive in a world like this without losing a little bit of your sanity.<strong>

**It was a hard choice, one she pondered over for almost a minute. She looked down at her cards for a moment, her eyes glancing over to the dealer. The look between them was friendly, almost familiar.**

**She measured out the toll in her own stack, matching it to the letter. She still hadn't decided on whether to play, and spent a moment trying to read some sort of emotion in Sakuya's eyes. Even without the glasses to cover them, the mysterious blonde still had enough nerve to keep her cards to herself.**

**Tewi grit her teeth slightly. Maybe this wasn't mahjong, but the invisible concept of flow still held meaning to her. If she let Sakuya take a foothold by being scared off here, that was her cue to stage a comeback. Her hand was good enough to be worth playing, especially if she had a little help from her friends.**

**"...Well, you get points for guts, I'll say that much. But Lady Luck only has one girl she gives a damn about, and it's me."**

**With one large, triumphant motion, she pushed her payment into the table alongside Sakuya's.**

**"Miss Inaba calls the bet."**

**Tewi rose to her feet. This was the good part. The rush of adrenaline that came with fortunes being won and lost. She picked up her cards and flung them upright back onto the table. A king and a jack - alone, not a particularly impressive hand, but if she were to hit either of them it would be difficult to beat.**

**_But what does she have?_**

* * *

><p>Sakuya, almost as a deliberate opposite of her opponent, sat back on her chair as if nothing had happened. She didn't so much as reveal her cards, and this quickly earned her stares from both Tewi and the dealer.<p>

"...Miss Izayoi, if you'd reveal your cards, please?"

Sakuya looked up, almost puzzled, before shrugging nonchalantly.

"Oh, if you don't mind, I'd like to keep my hand hidden until the last moment. Adds to the tension, I find. And besides, the cards are hardly going to change, so it doesn't make any difference, does it?"

It was a childish - and, in all fairness, illegal - request. The dealer had every right to insist that she reveal her cards, but that would seem pedantic at best. At worst...

**_Koishi-san, I think she's got the right idea. The boss just noticed something..._**

The words popping up in Koishi's head pulled her away from the game. Sango's eyes had been focused intently on Sakuya up until now, but they were now focused on the dealer, lifting the deck up from the table and preparing the first three cards.

_Huh? What do you mean?_

**_Watch him. Carefully._**

The request puzzled Koishi for a moment, but she decided to comply. She watched the dealer's hand as he first discarded the top card on the deck - a measure to prevent cheating, apparently. He made to draw the next card in one fast, fluid motion.

She only saw it because she was looking for it. It was a masterful move, the sort that took years of practice. Rather than removing the top card on the deck, the dealer momentarily snuck his hand into his sleeve, emerging a moment later with a card in his hand. He drew another two from the deck itself, placing all three of them on the floor.

The one he'd smuggled into the deck was a king. The second, a jack; the third, a four.

"YES!"

Tewi made no effort to hide her satisfaction, shouting at volumes that would've been considered offensive from any other player. Two pairs on the flop? She was pretty much won already.

No-one watching was willing to join her in her celebration. Koishi had only caught on by watching that hand closely, but there was no denying what she'd seen.

The dealer was throwing Tewi the cards she needed to win.

_...Of course._

It had bugged Koishi earlier that the casino was running an event like this without taking any of the proceedings, but this explained everything. The casino had already decided who was going to win the No-Limit Festival, and it was one of their own. Nitori had passed the message on to Sango and given Mokou a helpful nudge to figure it out herself, with the end result being that even Koishi could see what was happening.

Koishi cringed. Sakuya had been fighting a losing battle from the start. The group running this game had no intention of letting her anywhere near that money - now collected in one large suitcase sitting at the side of the table.

The dealer seemed certain that he'd done his job properly now, and visibly relaxed as he played the last two cards. As if to rub in the blow, the last of them was another jack, giving Tewi a Full House. She hadn't just won, she'd dominated.

"How's that? Bet you don't wanna show those cards of yours now, do you?"

There was no response for a moment. Sakuya's head was bowed downward, covering her face from view. Koishi didn't want to imagine what she must have looked like. She was crying, almost definitely-

"-Heh."

That wasn't crying. It wasn't sadness of any sort coming from Sakuya there. It was...laughter. Tiny, smug giggles slipped out of her mouth, growing larger until she was laughing full-force. Tewi didn't take that response well.

"H-Hey, what do you think's so funny? Show your hand already."

Sakuya was still laughing, almost uncontrollably now. She had to physically stop herself by putting a hand to her face, and even that took a moment.

"Ah, sorry. When something amuses me, I have a habit of getting carried away. And really...after a display like that, I can't not laugh at you."

With her other hand, she saw fit to tip her cards over onto the table.

Two kings.

"Wha-"

Tewi managed a tiny gasp as she saw what Sakuya had been hiding. The rest of the group surrounding the table couldn't produce even that. With two kings in her hand, Sakuya managed to produce a full house as well - but with three kings instead of three jacks, _hers was better than Tewi's_.

And it was all on a massive risk. If Sakuya had been holding onto any other hand, she'd have been dead in the water. If she'd been made to show her cards, the dealer would have just dealt around it and played enough Jacks for Tewi to win. There was no cunning play in what Sakuya had pulled off there - it was sheer, miraculous luck.

Sakuya removed her hand from her face, looking at Tewi with a devilish glint. There was something else other than happiness in that smile - she was smiling almost knowingly, like she was aware of something she wasn't supposed to be. It was enough for Koishi to guess that Sakuya had been in on the casino's cheating for a while - and it was why she'd played so carefully until now.

"So what was that you said about Lady Luck favouring you again?"

* * *

><p><strong>Sakuya had managed to go from being miles behind to being slightly ahead in the space of a hand. She pulled in her new stack, twice as large as the one she'd put in a few minutes prior. The dealer hastily began pulling the cards back in, preparing them for the next deal. Tewi caught him slipping the fifth king in as well - he may have been able to sneak it out without much hassle, but putting it back in wasn't quite as simple. As he picked the it up she caught a glimpse of the fifth king residing on the bottom of the deck, where it would be of no consequence for the next hand.<strong>

**Tewi needed a while to regain her composure. She'd slumped back onto her chair, eyes glazed over, limp as a doll. The hand had been hers; she could practically taste it, feel the chips coming her way, and start cutting her share with Morichika. Now here she was, losing to an amateur playing petty mind games.**

**She gave another glare towards the dealer. The message this time was clear.**

**Pull no punches. This next hand is mine, and nothing is going to stop me.**

**It was time to stop worrying about her hands looking unlikely. This wannabe needed to be put down before things got out of hand. Morichika wouldn't be pleased to hear she had lost him all this money. The consequences weren't worth thinking over.**

**The dealer nodded, and his dealing style changed dramatically. Behind the dark glasses he was wearing no-one could see his eyes, but they were examining every card with immense care as he shuffled. The fifth king remained hidden in the palm of one of his hands, but with speeds too quick for anyone else in the room to interpret he ordered the remaining cards in just the right way. He knew the top dozen cards in the deck, and they were more than enough this time. Finishing his reordering, he placed the hidden card back on the bottom of the deck where it would be no trouble.**

**The old tactic of throwing in new cards when they were needed was out the window. This time they had to kill Sakuya stone dead in the water - lure her into the hand, then destroy her outright.**

**The cards were dealt again, two to each player. Tewi was the first player to act, looking down at her hand and pretending to examine it carefully. No-one around the table was falling for it this time around. Everyone had caught onto her cheating, but they were all equally powerless to stop it.**

**"Well, then. You said you'd win in two hands, right?"**

**Tewi smirked, and pushed the rest of her chips into the table. She was looking to appeal to Sakuya's ego, lure her into a hand she had no chance of winning.**

**There was no need. Sakuya would have played the hand whatever she'd been dealt. The momentum had shifted in her favour, and nothing was going to stop her now. She returned the gesture - giving her cards an almost uninterested glance before offering up her own stack in return. She wouldn't lose outright if Tewi won the hand, but with so few chips left she'd have no chance.  
><strong>

**"Indeed, and I pride myself as a lady of my word."**

* * *

><p>Koishi had to resist the urge to scream. She knew it was a trap. There probably wasn't anyone around the table who DIDN'T know that Tewi was up to something with this hand. And yet Sakuya had just walked into it without a care in the world. It wasn't like she could wait it out, true - she'd have to call Tewi's bets eventually - but doing it so effortlessly just made Koishi's heart shiver.<p>

"Miss Izayoi. Your hand, if you will."

This time, the dealer wasn't willing to let Sakuya keep her cards hidden. It had ruined their plans once before, and he wasn't set to let it happen again. Sakuya looked down again at her hand, finally sighing as she turned it upright. Another pair - the king of clubs, and the king of diamonds. In any other instance, an excellent hand.

Tewi turned up the ace and queen of spades. Normally, a situation like this would involve Tewi begging and pleading for an ace to come up, or for enough spades to emerge for her to have a flush.

Then again, this hand was far from normal. And the flop that emerged from it was even less so.

King of Spades. King of Hearts. Jack of Spades.

Koishi raised an eyebrow.

_Wait, that means four kings. Isn't that really really good for Izayoi-san?_

Mokou was equally hopeful for Sakuya after a deal like that. After all, four-of-a-kind was really hard to get, so it had to be a really good hand.

Sango and Nitori didn't share in their cheerfullness. Nitori's face registered muffled disappointment, while Sango's was one of sheer despair. They were half right - four-of-a-kind was an excellent hand in poker, almost the strongest in the game. There was only one hand in the game that could ever beat it - the straight-flush, five consecutive cards of the same suit.

A hand Tewi was one card away from.

* * *

><p><strong>Sakuya raised an eyebrow, but it wasn't from confusion. She looked over at Tewi with a hint of suspicion.<strong>

**"I have to say, this hand seems rather...unlikely."**

**Tewi tried her best to keep her excitement locked away, but it was a physical sensation now. She couldn't keep herself still, waiting for the fourth card to be drawn; the card that would seal Sakuya's fate and leave her with too few chips to even think of winning. Maybe she looked suspicious now, but what did it matter? Who'd believe the word of one gambler over the reputation and standing of the Rabbit's Foot?**

**"Hey, y'know how Lady Luck works. Always saves the best for last."**

**She snatched at her pendant so hard it almost snapped. Every nerve in her body was trembling now through sheer euphoria. She was going to savour seeing the smile slip from this girl's face. She'd dream about it for weeks to come, remember it for the rest of her life, tell stories about it in her old age to anyone who cared to listen...**

* * *

><p>The fourth card was drawn, slamming onto the felt table with a tiny but dramatic slam. It was exactly what both players had expected. Initially Mokou and Koishi were confused by the sudden shift in atmosphere, but the dealer was kind enough to point out what had happened.<p>

"The fourth card is the Ten of Spades. Miss Inaba has made a Royal Flush and has won the hand."

The near instant shift from victory to defeat was enough to make Koishi feel ill. The colour flushed from her face, and her eyes started to mist up.

_Y-You're kidding me. There's gotta be something she can do, right?_

Sango looked over to her, solemn. There was a long sigh as the dolphin shook her head.

**_'Fraid not. The Royal Flush is the best hand in the whole game. It's over._**

Koishi could feel her hands starting to ball up. The casino was blatantly cheating now. No-one here honestly believed otherwise. But what was there they could do, accuse the casino of cheating? If they did that, they'd just get called out for trying to cheat and help Sakuya. This was no magical villain they were up against - this was sheer human greed, and no amount of dolphin riding would help with that.

"_THANK YOU, LADY LUCK_! I **KNEW** you'd show up when things mattered!"

Tewi pulled her chair away, shouting upwards to no-one in particular. It was only half-acted - she really was so excited she needed to scream to let it out, but luck had nothing to do with it. She glared over the table, looking at Sakuya's expression, prepared to savour the look of despair that had shifted onto her face.

She was disappointed to see nothing there. Sakuya continued staring blankly at the four cards on the table, seeming mildly frustrated at worst.

"Dealer. There's still one card left."

The dealer looked over, seeming surprised. "U-Uh, Miss Izayoi. I assumed you would realise that there is no way you can win this ha-"

"Play it. There's still room for a miracle."

Every eye in the room turned to her in bewilderment. Was she the only one who didn't realise she was drawing dead? No-one said a word, but the condescending look on Tewi's face said more than any word could have.

"...Oh, why not? Put the girl out of her misery."

Tewi shrugged her shoulders. There was nothing that could go wrong here anyway, and she gave the dealer a nod of approval. He reached down, almost deliberately hesitating as he went for the last card. There was no sound in the room other than the ticking of a large clock in the distance.

Koishi's mind was still spinning. Why was Sakuya so insistent on this? Everyone else had told her the hand was over, and she was inclined to believe them. Mokou and Sango were about as lost, but Nitori was watching the girl's every move with anticipation.

Sakuya's eyes were locked on the dealer. She glared at the cards with a look that seemed set to kill, as if trying to manipulate them with her mind. She raised a hand upward, and clicked her fingers.

The clock stopped.

So did everything else.

_What the?!_

Koishi's mind was still aware, but the rest of her body had frozen in place. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, she couldn't blink, she couldn't breathe. The world around her had taken on an almost sepia tint, like a photograph catching the moment for posterity. At the corner of her eye, Koishi saw that the rest of the 'culinary staff' was frozen in place as well, and across from her the dealer's hand hovered eternally over the deck. Tewi hung still, her face caught in a look of pure cruelty.

Only Sakuya moved, calmly rising up from her chair and walking towards the dealer.

_I-Izayoi-san is-?!_

Koishi couldn't even pass her thoughts on to Sango any more, leaving her with nothing to do but watch the gambler's every movement. Sakuya stopped just in front of the dealer, reaching out to the deck. She only made one change; taking the bottom card and placing it on the top.

_But why would she do that? The bottom card's the-_

Something clicked in the back of her head. Now Koishi's mind was as frozen solid as the rest of her. She was shocked, amazed, and terrified all at once, but she couldn't convey any of it until Sakuya had retaken her seat. Nonchalantly she sat back, clicking her fingers again.

The world shifted back into colour, and Koishi had to stop herself from gasping at what she'd just seen.

_**K-Koishi-san! Did you just...?!**_

Sango turned to Koishi, her face trying to display about half a dozen different emotions at once. Koishi nodded, not doing much better in the contemplation department. They'd both seen exactly what had happened, and from the looks on their faces Mokou and Nitori had as well. Only the professor had maintained a sensible look, turning to Sakuya with something that resembled pride.

There was no doubt about it. Sakuya, consciously or otherwise, had stopped time and shifted the deck in her favour. The only two who weren't aware of this were Tewi and the dealer, but they'd find out soon enough.

The fifth card was drawn and played.

"The last card is the Six of Di-"

The dealer's voice cut out. He knew ahead of time which card would appear. Nothing of use to Sakuya, and nothing worth mentioning. He'd made sure of that. Doubly sure. More sure than he could ever be.

But that wasn't the Six of Diamonds down there. It wasn't even a diamond. It was a card that shouldn't have existed, shouldn't have been played, and shouldn't have had any place down there.

It was the King of Spades. The second one.

Tewi's face morphed within a second. The look of joyful glee shifted only momentarily to one of absolute horror, finally replaced with one of total fury.

"I...you...what...how?!"

Sakuya allowed herself a small grin at the rage that had overtaken her competitor. She spoke matter-of-factly, as if there was nothing out of the ordinary here.

"I believe that gives me a five-of-a-kind, correct? And that makes me the winner."

Technically, she was right. In games where a joker was included, five-of-a-kind was perfectly possible, and was the true strongest hand in the game. True, there was no joker in the deck this time around, but there were five kings, and so what was there to argue about?

She stood up, no longer paying any attention to the chips on the table. Her attention now fell on the suitcase filled to the brim with money, which she saw fit to walk up to and take from its podium.

"W-W-Wait!" Tewi was almost in tears now. "You cheated! You **must** have cheated! How the hell do you expect me to believe there were two of the same card in the deck?!"

Her body was shivering again, but not in the good way. The dealer had no comment to offer, but he had slumped over the table with a look of total despair on his face. Sakuya looked back at her opponent, placing her free hand on her chin and pondering.

"I don't see why I should be implicated in that. After all, both of the Kings of Spades were drawn from the deck, correct? If you wish to accuse anyone of cheating, it would be our dealer friend appreciating the smell of felt over there."

With that said, Sakuya started casually walking toward the door as if nothing had happened. Millions of yen were in the suitcase she was hauling out, money the casino had been planning to take for itself all night long. Tewi's arm finally managed to rise upward, and as she pointed towards Sakuya she shouted with enough volume to make Koishi cringe.

"S-S-Somebody, stop her!"

Two guards were standing watch at the entrance, and as they heard Tewi's call for support they stepped in to block the doorway. Both of them were at least a foot taller than her, and much stronger to boot. For the first time all night, a frown jumped onto Sakuya's face - maybe she was intelligent, but physically she wasn't much to speak of.

Which is why it was a relief to see a girl in a red bunnysuit give one of them a well-placed kick between the legs.

"I saw you staring at me earlier, you goddamned pervert!"

From the fury in Mokou's face, she wasn't lying when she said that. The man let out a tiny whimper as he grabbed as his crotch, then crumpled to the floor without so much as a word.

Sakuya's face registered confusion for a few moments, until two hands grabbed her from behind and pulled her away from the still-standing bouncer.

"Don't worry, we'll get you out of here!"

For the first time all night the blonde had nothing to said. She made no attempt to refuse the offer, and as the white bunny and the mer-maid carried her along to the exit she saw fit to keep up the pace.

That left one guard to quickly turn and chase the four girls currently running for the exit. He spun on his heels and charged, ready to knock the block off the first girl to come into reach.

Then something pricked the back of his neck, and suddenly every ounce of energy in his body disappeared. He fell to the floor like a rock, unconscious within seconds.

"Night-night, tough guy. Enjoy next morning's hangover."

Nitori smirked, still holding her arm out towards where the man had once been. She wasn't that impressive magically, but handy devices like the dart-firing mechanism in her cuff made up for that. What the kappa lacked in strength, they made up for in sheer ingenuity.

With an open path in front of them, the Sirens ran for their lives. As the sun rose in the distance they charged out of the district, onwards into the main square. In the early-day hubbub they managed to meld into the crowd, in spite of their questionable choices in fashion.

By the time they'd stopped running, Koishi was convinced her lungs had actually been set on fire. She grabbed at her knees, panting and wheezing, seeing that Sakuya across from her was no better.

"You really need to get some more exercise, Komeiji-san."

Mokou seemed unfazed other than a layer of sweat. Nitori looked a little out of breath, and Sango just seemed more frustrated at having to use those lousy leg things. It took a minute or two for them to recover enough for any sort of conversation.

"...You...you four were a great help back there. I will admit that."

Sakuya spoke gratefully, pulling herself up and bowing towards the group. Koishi was the first to respond, still gasping as she spoke.

"Don't...mention it. We saw...what they were doing in there, and..."

Sakuya raised an eyebrow. She hadn't expected an untrained hand to pick up on the casino's cheating, that was for sure.

"...I assume you aren't an ordinary catering company."

"And proud of it!" Nitori said, patting the cardsharp on the back. "Now, shouldn't you be heading home before those guards catch up with us?"

Sakuya's expression jumped to surprise again. Perhaps she'd been ready for them to demand a reward from her. That said, she didn't turn down the chance to keep the money to herself.

"Hm, true. In that case, I offer you my heartfelt thanks, and bid you all a fond farewell."

Turning on her heels, Sakuya walked out into the morning crowds. Within seconds, Koishi had lost sight of her. Mokou seemed to have had as much luck keeping track of her, though her brow was furrowed in disapproval.

"Shouldn't we have talked to her? Y'know, about the whole time-stopping thing?"

"We'll have time for that later," Nitori said. "We have a name to work with, so after I do some research on the Izayoi family we'll just visit her and find out more then. Right now, I think you three need to have a good night's rest. I'll write you up as absent on the school register, so don't worry about that."

Now that she mentioned it, Koishi was having trouble keeping her eyes open. They'd stayed up all night for this - had Koishi ever done that before? She didn't think so. Either way, she was going to take Nitori up on that offer, and wrapped her arm around Sango for support.

"Sounds like a plan. See you two later, then..."

Mokou offered a thumbs up, slightly more awake than she was. Nitori seemed unfazed by her lack of sleep at all - these youkai and their endurance made Koishi jealous once in a while. Even Sango, currently making sure Koishi didn't collapse in the middle of the street, seemed better off than she was.

_Why aren't you tired at all, Sango-san?_

_**Uh, well, my job wasn't that exciting, so I sorta turned my brain off. Half of it, anyway.**_

Koishi chuckled to herself at the sound of that. Dolphins had all the fun.


	20. Research

Tewi hated this room.

She'd only been brought here once before, on the day she'd been hired to join the association. It was a small room; too small, with walls built of jet-black ivory and obscure 'modern art' which she could have easily mistaken for a child's scribblings. Maybe they were - she wouldn't put it beyond Morichika to sell random doodles as supposed masterpieces. He had a way of appraising things, giving them more value than they really had, and selling them off to some poor sucker none the wiser.

Tewi did what she could to make herself comfortable. Unfortunately, the chair she'd been given was rickety and set to fall apart at any moment. A nicer chair sat across from her, taunting her, but it was for a man much higher in rank than Tewi would ever be. She fidgeted. Her back hurt. Maybe a different angle? No, that was even worse.

The clock ticked in the distance, slowing down to mock her. She had blown it, in the most disastrous way she could have. Millions of yen that they were looking to take in, and in two hands she'd lost it all. Izayoi had played her like a fiddle, toying with her pride and throttling her with her own ego. And that shot at the end - she knew full well that she'd lost to the fifth king planted to help her. Sakuya was manipulative, but she hadn't broken a single rule.

The wait took longer than she could have imagined. By now Tewi was trying to interpret the meaning of the wall markings to pass the time, and was distracted when her employer finally made his way into the room.

"Tewi. Honey. Darling."

Rinnosuke Morichika was a figure dubbed in mystery even to his own compatriots. His appearance was simple, but sharp - a tall, thin man in a light-blue suit, the make you couldn't afford if you had to ask the price. His hair was dark brown, standing up just enough to look attentive but not to the extent of looking childish. He adjusted his designer glasses as he took his seat, his voice the epitome of calmness.

"What happened out there tonight? You were my big player, y'know? I had a lotta faith in you to win me my money, and you lose to some blonde chick we've never heard of before?"

Perhaps it was more frightening that he was calm. Any normal person would be yelling profanities across the table right now at the thought of all the money they'd lost, but Rinnosuke was almost impossibly relaxed. Tewi was both impressed and disturbed, partially because this behaviour reminded her too much of the girl she'd lost her fortune to.

Perhaps they were two of a kind, Rinnosuke and Sakuya - that deviousness, that cunning, and a gentle sprinkling of insanity.

"I-It wasn't me, I swear. I played along to the plan, to the letter. If that dealer hadn't screwed up and played the fifth king, none of this crap would've happened."

Tewi's body was stricken with nerves, and her response was stuttered and forced. Surprisingly, Rinnosuke reached out and placed a hand on her shoulder, an all-too-cheery smile on his face.

"I know, I know. It's all his fault we lost that money. He's a bad, bad man who made some really bad fuckups. Hey, wanna see something?"

Rinnosuke reached into his sleeve, pulling out a small remote. He pointed it towards what initially seemed to be a blank wall, but with a small beep a slate caved into the side, revealing a flat-screen television behind it.

"My favourite show is on right now. Figured you'd learn something from watching it."

Another beep, and the screen came to life. The picture was grainy, and for a moment Tewi couldn't discern what it was actually showing, but the sounds coming from it were a hint.

There were two figures in the room. One was tied to a chair, his face bloodied. The other was circling him, slamming his fist into the other man's jaw once every few seconds. The grunts and yells of pain coming from the speakers left nothing to the imagination.

"Ooh, that was one helluva punch, huh? He's gonna be feeling that one in the morning."

Now and again, the beating stopped, and instead the speakers were filled with the sound of a grown man sobbing. Desperate, almost unhearable pleas for mercy echoed into the room, but they were ignored. The breaks would only last a few seconds, and then the assault picked up speed again.

Tewi pulled her eyes away from the pummeling for a moment, looking at Rinnosuke to try and distract herself. He was grinning again, almost wildly, his eyes glistening as he watched a grown man suffer. He was almost panting, containing his pleasure and struggling to maintain his otherwise cool demeanour.

"Doesn't that get your heart racing, Tewi? The sight of failures getting the punishment they deserve, seeing the world right itself because you will it to, the feeling of justice that hits you when you get payback on someone who's wronged you? You said it yourself, right? This guy's responsible for all of our losses, and he's getting the shit beaten out of him. Isn't that wonderful to watch?"

Tewi wasn't sure how to reply. She couldn't laugh at this. This was brutality, this was abuse, this was just like that time when-

_!_

Tewi took a sharp breath. Something was coming to her. Something she didn't want coming out. Something that needed to stay back like the lie it was.

"Hm? Tewi, honey, you look a little distracted. This isn't reminding you of something, is it?"

He knew. He KNEW what this would remind her of. He was watching the look on her face as the sounds continued to echo through the room. She could see the sneering grin on his face, enjoying this just as he had enjoyed watching the pummeling. She was doing her best to forget, move on, act like it never happened, but he KNEW. Not just that, he was going to use that information as he saw fit, and she'd given him more than enough of a reason to toy with her head a little. She couldn't let him do this, but it was too late now and it was coming out and she couldn't stop it and stop stop _stop **stop STOP**_

* * *

><p><strong>...Papa wasn't a bad man, just prone to grabbing the bottle a lot. She remembered the recitals and performances he missed because of 'work', the days he'd come up barely coherent enough to speak, and most of all the days when she'd sleep hearing the sound of fists slamming against flesh. The next morning she'd talk to Mama alone, panic running across her face, wanting to know the story about all those noises she'd heard the night before.<strong>

**"Oh, dear, that was nothing. Mama and Papa were just having a little argument, that's all. ...Oh, that? I just tripped and fell down the stairs. I'll be fine, really."**

**Was it a lie? It had to be a lie. She wasn't stupid.**

**But that would mean the truth was...no. It couldn't be. She didn't want it to be.**

**So she taught herself to believe what she knew wasn't true. It was hard, but with a few years of practice she finally pulled it off. Fighting? What fighting? Her parents got on like any other family would. The occasional fight, but nothing worse than that.**

**So why were the arguments about her so often?**

**"It's you spending so much time on that goddammed kid, that's what! Why can't a woman like you spare some time to make me my goddamn dinner?!"**

**It was always her name that came up. Mama was in trouble because Tewi hadn't done her homework, Mama was in trouble because she loved Tewi too much, Mama was in trouble because Tewi wasn't well enough to go to school today. It was Tewi this, Tewi that, Tewi everything.**

**One night, Tewi came home with her report card. It wasn't great, but she'd managed to scrape a pass in subjects she'd been scared of failing. Mama had been accepting, supportive, even ready to reward her for doing well. Papa didn't see it until he'd come back from 'work', face red and voice slurred.**

**One look was enough to put him into another of his little rages.**

**"The fuck is this?! How do you expect to get into university with shitty grades like that!?"**

**His eyes turned to her, smouldering with indignation. He'd have punched her in the face right there and then if he hadn't been grabbed from behind.**

**"That's enough, dear! Can't you see Tewi is trying her best!? We should be congratulating her for how well she did!"**

**Immediately Mama came to her defense, seeking to reason with Papa and calm him down. All it did was cause him to redirect his anger, and he turned on her instead.**

**"Honey, please do-gggk..."**

**His hands clasped tightly around her throat, her words cut painfully short. He spoke with an anger even Tewi wasn't familiar with, one that left her shivering even from hearing it.**

**"Don't you go defending the little piece of shit! There's no way my daughter would come home with grades that bad, got it!? So either she ain't trying, or that's not my kid! Which is it, huh?!"**

**Mama couldn't offer a response to him. She tried to push his hands away, spluttering and choking all the while. Tewi just stood in place, the report card falling to the floor. She couldn't look away. She wanted to, but she couldn't. If her body would let her she'd have run as far as her legs could carry her, but she was frozen on the spot, watching and listening to Mama's little gasps and coughs.**

**Eventually Mama's struggles weakened, and she went limp in her husband's livid hands. Even after she had passed out he clutched onto her, ready to snap her neck if she dared talk back to him. He needed a few moments for the realisation of what he'd done to hit him.**

**"...Honey? Honey? ...Oh, god. Oh, god."**

**Tewi felt something come apart in the back of her head. She was separate from the rest of the world, isolated and left only to watch from beyond. The sounds of the world around her faded into the distance. All she could hear were the thoughts bouncing around inside her own head.**

**_oh god she isn't breathing she's going blue her eyes look so empty and he looks so scared now and is she going to be ok what if she isn't what if she's dead if she's dead it's because of my stupid report card which means i killed her which means she's dead and it's my fault_**

**_my fault_**

**_myfaultmyfaultmyfaultmyfault myfaultmyfaultmyfaultmyfault myfaultmyfaultmyfaultmyfault myfault...!_**

* * *

><p>"Gyaaaaah!"<p>

She screamed - or at least she tried to, but the sound ended up trapped in her throat, coming out as a pathetic, strangled cry. She slumped back onto her chair, eyes gazing out emptily into the distance.

Rinnosuke saw fit at last to turn the television off.

"There, there, darling. It's okay. Uncle Kourin is here for you."

His hand rested on top of hers. He could still recall the day he met her at the juvenile centre, lying through her teeth without breaking a sweat. Something inside her had broken a little then, and lying had become so second-nature to her it seemed she genuinely believed her own lies. He took her in to his little 'family' on the spot - she had potential, and better yet she had a history she'd rather have forgotten. Tragic, perhaps, but it was a weapon he could use against her.

A leash, if you will, that he could yank at if he grew displeased with how she performed.

"Lucky for you, I've done my research on our friend Izayoi. If what I've been hearing is true, we should have our money back sooner than we thought."

Tewi was barely listening. All she could manage was a sniffle and a light nod of the head. She'd recover in a minute. She'd forget that silly nightmare and remember what really happened.

Yes, that was right. Mama died of a terrible illness, and Papa had to leave her to do very important work. They loved each other, more than anyone ever could, and they both loved her as well...

* * *

><p>It was a strange feeling, waking up to the sight of the setting sun.<p>

Koishi had just about collapsed into bed the moment she'd changed out of that horrible bunnysuit getup. She had dreamed - or at least, she thought she had. She couldn't recall any useful details about the dream, so maybe she hadn't. It was hard to tell.

For some reason, there was a laugh stuck in her mind for a moment when she woke up. Youthful, but wise; not so much laughing at her as laughing with her. It drifted away a few seconds later, along with her recollection of it, and passing it off as just a little dream she pulled herself out of bed and stretched. It was a good thing there was no class tomorrow - it was going to take a while for her to get her body clock back in order after a night like that. According to the dim light of her alarm clock, it had just turned five.

"Morning, Koishi-sama~."

"Um, but Orin, isn't it evening right now?"

"Figure of speech, Okuu. Figure of speech."

The two pets continued their unintentional comedy routine. The M-1 Grand Prix was theirs for sure, she could taste it.

Next on her list was waking up Sango, who was passed out on a bed in the other room. The dolphin had managed to catch enough sleep to keep functioning through the night, and she'd boasted to Koishi that she'd be fine until this evening, but the sound of the youkai's snoring had woken the Siren up once or twice. Koishi's suggestion of moving out of the bathroom had produced immediate and satisfying results, so she no longer had to worry about a slumbering dolphin in the bath when she washed her face in the morning. Koishi paid for this through the inconvenience of walking an extra five steps or so to wake her up in the mornings - she briefly wondered the irony of having to wake up her supposed protector.

Stepping through the corridors, still absently rubbing at her own eyes, Koishi found Sango lying fully-clothed on the bed, jacket and all. Apparently sleep had crept up on her during her guard shift. Koishi made to prod her at the side and bring her slowly back to the land of the living, but an obnoxious buzzing noise beat her to the punch. Sango's eyes fluttered open, unfocused.

"Uh...whuh? Boss?"

Still half-asleep, Sango's hands started to run across her body in an attempt to find which pocket she'd placed her phone in. A few seconds of rummaging turned up no useful result, but whoever was calling was adamant enough to keep going no matter how long Sango took. The beeping got louder and louder the longer Sango left it unanswered, but she was still too tired to give herself more than a casual inspection.

"Mmh, 'zaround here somewhere..."

Koishi sighed. Nitori was the only person with Sango's number, and she wouldn't call unless something really important had come up. For all they knew Sakuya was in danger right now and this was the call for backup, so Koishi couldn't sit and wait for Sango to wake up enough for it. She reached down, grabbing at the chest pocket the noise was coming from, ready to snatch the phone out and answer it on Sango's behalf.

This would have been an excellent plan if Sango hadn't taken that exact moment to sit up.

"Ah-!?"

She had grabbed something. Something soft and sensitive, something behind the jacket. Koishi's face froze in embarrassment, the rest of her body likewise caught in place. Anything resembling logical thought vanished from her mind there and then.

"Ph...phwee...?"

Sango seemed more stunned than anything. Her eyes were starting to open up properly now, the sensation of being touched waking her up properly. She looked up for a moment at Koishi, just awake enough to be puzzled by her bright-red face.

She understood why the moment she looked down and saw Koishi had managed to grab at one of her breasts.

"...Ph...ph..."

Koishi felt a hand smack against her face, knocking her a step to the side.

**"PHWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!"**

Sango sounded like she was on the verge of tears, her hands suddenly running over her chest. Tears began to form in her eyes, and she glared in Koishi's direction with a look of hurt.

"K-K-K-Koishi-san! What the hell did you think you were doing!? Having your way with a pure, innocent maiden in her sleep!? I mean, I know you think I'm adorable, but that's just...just...!"

Koishi raised a hand out, looking to get a word in edgeways, but Sango had already started on a barrage of accusations and panicked mutterings.

"No-one's ever touched me there before! Ever, ever, ever! I was saving myself in case I ever met a guy I liked, but...I've been deflowered now! No man's going to want to touch these damaged goods. Maybe if I was busty like that girl from last night, but no, apparently the youkai gods decided Sango Tororetsu was gonna be born flat! I hope you're ready to compensate, Koishi-san! I'll...I'll sue you! For all that you have!"

She couldn't be listening to what she was saying, surely. Now she was just spouting gibberish, her brain overheating as her face went a painful-looking shade of crimson. The beeping from her jacket continued, rising to the point where Koishi swore she saw a vein popping out of her companion's head.

"You'll get put into prison, and you'll never see the light of day again, and-**_GYAAH, WHAT IS THAT RINGING NOISE!?_**"

Sango rummaged into her jacket with ease now, grabbing at the pocket she'd placed the phone in. She was vaguely aware that her hand was now in the same place Koishi's had been.

The realisation of the facts dawned on her slowly and painfully.

"...Oh."

Koishi could see the epiphany in Sango's eyes, and nodded in agreement. There had been nothing to it; just a simple misunderstanding between two girls. It took a few seconds for Sango's anger to fully dissipate. She pulled the phone out of her pocket and held it up to the light.

Then, with a look of shame on her face, she passed the phone on to Koishi.

"You answer it. I need to go take a quick bath."

With that, the dolphin rose to her feet and made her way out of the door, starting on her undressing before she'd even made it to the bathroom. Murmurs of 'This wouldn't have happened if I'd been sleeping in the bathtub' echoed down the house's hallways, leaving Koishi almost as nervous as Sango was. Maybe the youkai didn't get the concept of clothing or things like that, but being touched in sensitive places was a universal embarrassment.

After what must have been a minute of ringing, Koishi finally saw fit to open the phone and put it to her ear.

"Yes, professor?"

The voice on the other end sounded frustrated. Given that she'd been on hold for so long, it was understandable.

"Took you long enough. Was I interrupting anything?"

Koishi flinched. The professor couldn't have picked a worse time to make a quip like that. A few seconds of nervous silence followed, and Nitori's voice went from grouchy to just plain awkward.

"Oh, uh. Then, well...guess now I've got your attention, I'd better give you the lowdown."

The Siren nodded. Anything to distract her from current events would be wonderful.

"So have you found out some more info on Izayoi?"

The annoyed tone made its way back into Nitori's voice.

"See, that's the thing. I took a look through my database again, and there's no history of Izayoi as a family name in Gensouto."

Koishi raised an eyebrow. By now she'd come to assume that Nitori was some endless supply of knowledge; seeing something that truly stumped her was a first.

"Maybe she's a foreigner? Blonde hair and such, and she played the part of the foreign bimbo a little too well."

"No can do, kid. The Sirens are all girls who were born in Gensouto, and they'll all be in Gensouto when the fight begins. Or did last night not prove my theory to you?"

Koishi nodded along at that, even if Nitori couldn't see it from the other end of the call. Statistically the odds of finding a Siren at that casino were next to zero, and yet they'd found one just as the kappa had planned. With a result like that, Koishi was pretty much sold.

"OK, fine. That leaves us with Sakuya Izayoi being a pseudonym, right? Can you try and sort it by power and figure it out from there?"

"You kidding? Do you realise how many people live in this city, Koishi-san? There are probably four or five bloodlines with some form of time manipulation, spread our over dozens of families. We can't just go up to every single one and ask if there's a daughter in the house with a penchant for gambling."

She sounded desperate, concerned for Sakuya's immediately safety. Perhaps rightly so - the mob probably wouldn't be too happy with their losses, and they'd be out looking for her right now.

"On top of everything else, we don't know if the Claw are onto her as well. Maybe they had an insider at the casino or something - I can't be sure, but what matters is that you find some other way to track her down."

That one left Koishi pausing for a moment. The answer seemed so obvious to her that she couldn't understand why Nitori was putting the question to her. She became aware that in the midst of all of last night's action, she'd never had the chance to bring up the errand she was performing for a local bakery. It hadn't seemed important back then, and by the time she realised it had more relevance than she thought she was too preoccupied to do a thing.

"...I think I might have an idea how to take care of that, professor."

Nitori let off a little gasp. "You didn't grab some hair from her, did you? 'Cause if so I could probably run a DNA test and-"

"Not quite. It's a little more...traditional, but it works."

Nitori seemed outright baffled now. Koishi grinned slightly as she passed the story on, feeling that she'd gained a slight victory over the woman who'd failed miserably to teach her mathematics.

"...I see. Well, I have to say, that's quite a coincidence."

Nitori didn't sound as surprised as she should have been after she'd heard the tale from Koishi. The Siren just shrugged in response, again as if she was talking to someone right in front of her.

"I know. You'd almost think someone planned all this out in advance, wouldn't you?"

She heard a snicker from the other end of the line.

"Just about, Koishi-san. Just about."

Faintly, Koishi could have sworn she heard Nitori laughing to herself as she closed the line, enjoying the sight of a good plan coming together.

* * *

><p>Before they could make their way to the bakery, Sango had one thing she needed to clear up.<p>

"Sign this."

She still sounded stern as she handed the document over to Koishi. It had been written on a long line of toilet paper while Sango was hiding in the bathroom, and stated in long and arduous detail how they needed to agree to never wake each other up again. From sheer frustration, Sango's pen had pierced the paper several times, leading to rushed rewrites and repetition to the point where it was barely legible.

Koishi needed a moment firstly to comprehend exactly what she'd been handed, and then another to realise Sango wasn't kidding with this. She sighed to herself, taking Sango's pen (she'd found it lying on the bathroom floor - something Koishi had forgotten to pick up?) and carefully writing her own name at the bottom of the roll.

"Uh...sorry about that." oishi couldn't think of any other way to bring down the awkward atmosphere, and so she tried her best to utter an apology. Sango let out a deep, heaving sigh as she took the paper back, and did the only thing she could with toilet paper - flush it.

"...I, uh, probably overreacted a little. It's just that...well, you may have noticed I'm not so good at this whole social thing."

She sat at the side of the bath, her arms crossed and her eyes distracted. She glared sharply at a particular floor tile, not looking up to Koishi as she spoke.

"My folks were both big names in the White Pearl - well, as big as a little group like ours can get. If it weren't for the fact they're pretty old and grey now, they'd probably be helping me here as well. They told me a bunch of stories about you humans - about all the amazing things you did even without magic. Stories of love, glory, triumph, beauty, all that stuff.

"But, well. The rest of the pod didn't exactly agree with my family's views. They called us human sympathisers, and not as a compliment. Your kind still has a nasty habit of hunting us dolphins down and...yeah. This is pretty much the first time I've had anyone I could even call a friend, so even with other dolphins I'm not used to having someone to talk to. It's not any easier with humans, trust me."

Surprisingly, Sango looked perfectly calm as she spoke - perhaps she'd had plenty of time to come to terms with this. Pulling her head up, she managed a smile as she looked brightly into Koishi's eyes.

"But, well, I believe in those stories. I think you humans are flawed, and you make a few really dumb mistakes now and again. But somewhere, deep down beneath everything, you really do have the world's best interests in mind."

The dolphin stood up from her makeshift seat, standing eye-to-eye with Koishi now. She placed a hand on the Siren's shoulder, looking into her eyes for some form of conviction.

"I trust you, Koishi-san. Don't let me down, okay?"

Koishi wasn't sure how to reply. Placing her trust of humanity in Koishi's hands? Wasn't Sango overdoing this a little? What if Koishi messed up? What if there was another misunderstanding about phone calls and misplaced hands and-

**_Stop. You're worrying again, aren't you?_**

The word jumped into her head, cutting her thought process short. Sango's glare was as intent as before.

**_You'll be fine, Koishi-san. I've seen enough of you to know that._**

That was enough to relieve Koishi of her concerns. She wasn't quite able to trust herself, but if Sango could find something worth having faith in then she could as well. The Siren nodded, the solemn look leaving her face.

"Alright. I'll do your parents proud."

"You'd better, or my old man's gonna jump outta the sea and kick your ass!"

* * *

><p>She'd taken this trip to the bakery dozens of times before, but this one felt different from every time before it. She'd never come here for any reason other than to chug down a quick excuse for a breakfast, so this was her first time seeing the bakery in the evening. The sun began to set in the distance, hitting the building at just the right angle to turn the walls a radiant shade of crimson.<p>

Tacky wasn't the word that Koishi was looking for. Distressing seemed closer to the mark.

"Y'know, I should just stop doubting myself." Sango was ranting to herself, growling between sentences. "I KNEW I sensed something here earlier. Sakuya hangs around this place so often she's left a mark on the place - magically, at least. I caught it yesterday, but I didn't press it..."

Koishi was barely paying attention. Her thoughts was focused on the building's puzzling choice of paint. Was it designed to turn that colour in the sunset? Was the Scarlet Bakery supposed to be some ingenious pun?

She shrugged the thought off. In the end, even if the decor was questionable, the food was second-to-none, and that was all a bakery really needed. More importantly, all of this was irrelevant compared to the hunt for Sakuya.

Koishi walked up to the doorway, once again checking that the store was open. They'd made it here within fifteen minutes of closing time, which was a relief. She poked her head through, trying her best to act casual. She knew Sakuya would recognise her as the bunnygirl from last night, so it was best to just play it slow-

"What in the name of all that's right and logical do you think you've been doing?!"

The sound of an argument breaking out in the backroom killed off that idea in a hurry. It was the voice of the woman who'd taken the counter yesterday - Patchouli, had she called herself? It was difficult to believe that a girl in such poor health could shout with such volume, and sure enough she spluttered slightly as she caught her breath.

Koishi knew she wasn't meant to eavesdrop on conversations like this, but there was more at stake than simple manners. There was only one person Patchouli could be so angry at, and Koishi needed to get hold of that person no matter what. She entered the store completely, the argument drowning out the sound of her entry as Sango followed behind.

"I've been raising money. And if you're done with the counting, I think you'll agree that this is a generous sum."

Sakuya's voice carried through, but only barely. Compared to the livid Patchouli, she sounded almost eerily calm. Koishi knew she was in the presence of not only an angry fellow employee, but she was also in the possession of millions of yen. None of it rightfully hers, and its owners would very much want it back. Staying so utterly calm in a situation left Koishi unsure if Sakuya was alright in the head.

_Wait. Raising money?_

This was something she'd never considered. Sakuya had won herself a fortune, but what exactly did she plan to do with it? Koishi had assumed she'd blow it on the usual suspects - big houses, flashy cars, trips to resorts across the world, things like that. From the way she'd said she was 'raising' money, Sakuya seemed to already have a plan for how every single yen was going to be spent.

From the tone of her voice, Patchouli didn't approve of this plan.

"Don't you realise this is just another false lead?! You've visited every specialist in the nation by now! What will it take you to accept that there is no cure fo-"

"Don't say that."

Again, an utterly cold remark from Sakuya, silencing Patchouli mid-sentence. Even from a whole room away the words were enough to chill Koishi's blood. There was a grim determination in Sakuya's voice - one that wasn't set to listen to rhyme or reason.

"I owe her my life, and it's a debt I intend to repay. No matter what it takes. Do you understand?"

There was no response. Koishi could make out a grunt of some sort on Patchouli's part, but words had failed her. Even from here Koishi could tell that nothing the asthmatic had to say would sway Sakuya's conviction. Silence hung in the air for a few seconds, with Koishi and Sango doing their best not to disturb it.

"Well, now that's been cleared up I have a meeting to attend. Apologies for my disappearance, and I will be back on duty as normal tomorrow morning. Good night, Patchouli."

Footsteps made their way out of the building through the back door, a tinny ringing signalling Sakuya's exit. Wordlessly, Koishi looked over to Sango.

_Do we follow her?_

Sango nodded. They were losing their trail fast, and it was too dangerous to leave Sakuya unguarded. Before anything else Morichika would be after her, and on top of that there was the ever-present risk of the Black Claw finding another Siren on the loose. That meant there could be two different parties both baying for Sakuya's blood.

The pair broke for the door at once, set to loop around and follow Sakuya to wherever her destination was. They weren't as subtle with their exit as they had been with their entry, and the loud ringing from the door was more than enough to alert Patchouli of their presence.

Or at least, their former presence. By the time the employee made her way back into the main room, there was only a slowly closing door to greet her.

* * *

><p>Koishi and Sango couldn't afford to be aggressive here. Sakuya was smart, and if she caught the sight of them tailing her any chance of trust would be out the window. Just trailing behind her would be too obvious, so they had to find another way of keeping track.<p>

Fortunately, one of them had just the right tool for that.

"She's really getting into the darker part of town, isn't she, phwee? ...Next left."

Sango's inbuilt Siren-sonar was working its wonders again. They couldn't see her, but they were just close enough that the dolphin could still sense her presence. Following behind from a safe distance, the pair found themselves well off the beaten track, twisting and turning through some of Gensouto's less cheerful streets.

The sun had just about set by now, and only the occasional light from a window stopped Koishi from walking head-on into a wall. There were no streetlights in these alleyways - another area forgotten by the building planners, it seemed. The smell of cigarette smoke made Koishi cough a little, but Sango was outright choking on the fumes. She'd never experienced the joys of second-hand smoking before, and it was an experience that did not endear itself to her.

The path Sakuya took was deliberately complicated and ornate. Sure enough, she was suspicious of being followed, and more than once the Siren had set a trap and turned the path around on itself to see if there was anyone behind her. Only the most skilled of rogues would have been able to follow her unseen - assuming they weren't cheating dolphins who saw all of this coming well before they had any right to.

"I feel almost bad for her, phwee...think she's giving up. She's heading outta the alley now."

Giving Sakuya the usual thirty-second head start, Koishi and her steed were all too glad to be out of the backstreets. They still weren't in the nicest part of town, but there was no need to worry about some random passer-by stabbing them for a laugh. Koishi wasn't very familiar with these parts, so it was a relief she was following rather than leading.

After a good half hour of walking, Sakuya finally made it to her destination. Koishi and Sango finally caught up with her, keeping behind a nearby pillar and only poking out to look once or twice. Sakuya was standing at the entrance to a private medical clinic, one that from the look of the faded neon sign had seen better days. The doors took painfully long to open for her despite supposedly being automatic. Sakuya simply shrugged and stepped inside, visible behind the glass door for a few seconds before walking out of sight.

Sakuya's two newest fans followed in behind her, sharing in the long, dull wait for the front door. It creaked as if the mechanism running it was three times older than it really was. Maybe while they were here Koishi would suggest that someone oil this thing up a little.

Immediately they were faced with a receptionist, looking utterly unprofessional. She was more preoccupied by the flowers on her desk than the large pile of papers that she was expected to file through. Worse, there was a little note written on the flowerpot blatantly stating '**WARNING - SUZURAN FLOWER, HIGHLY POISONOUS. DO NOT TOUCH.**' That explained the gloves on the receptionist's hands, covered in pollen.

Suddenly, Koishi could understand why this clinic wasn't Gensouto's favourite.

After a good ten seconds of shuffling, the receptionist finally noticed there were even more patients to be seen to. She jerked to attention, fiddling with the red ribbon in her hair and trying to act as if none of the above had ever happened.

"Uh...good evening, and welcome to the Asakura National Health Clinic. Do you have an appointment, or is this your first time?"

There was makeup all over her face, Koishi could see. She'd overdone it, to the point where she looked more like a doll than a person. Not the time or the place to mention it, unfortunately.

"Hello. I was here along with Izayoi-san? She just came by, I think."

A look of understanding jumped to the receptionist's face. Her lips formed a perfect o as she nodded, her hand still absent-mindedly playing with the flowers.

"Oh, you're with the rich girl? Yeah, she's seeing Dr. Asakura right now. Down the corridor, third room on the left, but it's pri-"

Koishi and Sango were on their way down the corridor before the receptionist had even finished speaking. The woman was left to herself once again, looking at the flower-pot for a moment as if for solace.

"...Suu-san, why are all the customers so rude today?"

* * *

><p>Koishi had never been fond of hospitals, and clinics were only one step down from that. The too-clean smell of antiseptic hung in the air, and the bright white walls almost burned themselves into her eyes. Sango seemed to find the aroma to her liking, but had turned her head downwards to look at the immaculately clean floor instead. With the inside this well-kept, it was a very good question as to why the outside hadn't seen any repair for some time.<p>

Each of the rooms for appointments was linked to this corridor by a door and a window, with curtains available in the event that a patient wanted strict privacy with their doctor. The third door on the left was locked tight, but the curtains hadn't been set up, allowing Koishi and Sango to see inside with ease.

Sakuya sat in a rigid-looking chair, her eyes fixated on the doctor. A glimmer of hope hung in her eyes, but beyond that her face showed no sign of emotion. Across from her, a woman in a long white labcoat was counting through the money one last time, utterly baffled by the sheer quantity of it. Even doctors didn't see this much money - at least, not all at once. At several points Koishi saw the doctor adjusting her glasses slightly, blinking, confirming that what she was looking at wasn't some sort of hallucination.

Sound didn't travel through the window, so Koishi and Sango were left to try and interpret lips as the pair held a discussion. Neither of them were fluent with it, and a lot of complicated scientific words were being thrown about. They were only able to pick up on several words that were repeated several times over - 'scarlet', 'genetic code', 'DNA', and 'revolutionary research'. The last one in particular seemed important to Sakuya, causing her to nod violently every time it came up.

The doctor sighed. She seemed guilty, for reasons that Koishi couldn't quite place. Was Sakuya terminally ill? Had she just been told that she was going to die unless some miraculous treatment came through?

As if to answer Koishi's question the doctor turned to a nearby closet, pulling it open while looking at Sakuya head-on. As a man stepped out from the inside, pointing a gun straight at Sakuya's head, Koishi felt her stomach fall through the floor. Two words slipped out of the doctor's mouth, and Koishi knew what they were even without hearing them.

"I'm sorry."


	21. Rescue

This was bad. In fact, this was worse than bad. This was about as bad as things could possibly get. Sakuya was being held at gunpoint, and there wasn't much either of them could do to stop it.

Sakuya, as usual, seemed the least shocked of anyone in the room. She glared down the gun barrel with an expression that read more like disappointment than fear. She gave the doctor an angry glare. She'd been betrayed, in the worst way possible.

Koishi felt her chest tightening up. She looked over to Sango, sending a desperate thought across to her.

_Can't she use her time-powers or whatever it was she did last night to get out of this?!_

Sango didn't respond for a moment, simply biting her lip. The slow shaking of her head did nothing to calm Koishi down.

_**If she could, I'm pretty sure she'd have done it by now. I dunno if she's even aware she can do it.**_

Now Koishi was just plain confused. She looked over to Sakuya, then to Sango, then back to Sakuya.

_But she did it last night, didn't she? We saw her! We felt it!_

Sango sighed forcefully. Koishi could see her hands balling up, almost set to punch through the window.

**_Koishi-san, sometimes people find ways to access their powers by accident. In a little good-luck charm, or some sort mental ritual or something like that. It's likely Sakuya just thinks that whole 'focus on the card thing' makes her luckier, and she doesn't even realise she's changing the deck._**

Koishi needed a few moments to digest what Sango was telling her. All it did was make the gaping hole in her stomach even deeper. She didn't need Sango to finish the line of thought for her - if Sakuya didn't know about her own powers, there was no way she could bail herself out of this situation.

Koishi's hand reached down into her pocket, where the Teardrop had been lying dormant for weeks now. If they went in the normal way, the goon would have more than enough time to kill his target, so their only hope was a surprise attack from out here.

**_Wait, you can't-_**

Sango didn't even have time to get the thought across before Koishi had pulled the Teardrop from her pocket. The gem seemed to understand the need for haste, and only a single glove appeared on the hand she'd clenched it in. It would be enough.

She gave the dolphin insignia a tiny click.

**"Iruka Shot."**

The declaration was small, understated. The sound of shattering glass that it promptly produced, less so.

Everyone in the room was too far away to be affected by the exploding window, but the noise caught all of their attentions. The doctor's face morphed into shock, the goon's head jerked around, and Sakuya wore an expression that could almost have been mistaken for surprise.

The small ball of energy caught its target in the head. Koishi had made sure to undercharge it - she didn't plan to kill him, after all, and it'd leave the target with at the most a nasty bruise.

When he instead turned into a pile of mackerel, things grew slightly more awkward.

"Uh."

Koishi managed a muttered display of shock at that. The surreal nature of the moment had been trebled. Now Sakuya was definitely looking out of her depth, and in response to all of this madness the doctor had done the most sensible thing possible and passed out.

With the immediate danger dealt with, Koishi leaped through what had once been the window, taking care not to land on any of the largest glass shards on the way in. Sakuya blinked rapidly, trying to somehow get her bearings in this totally alien situation. The face of her saviour rang a distant bell in the back of her head, and a name absently fell off her tongue.

"...Flopsy?"

Koishi resisted the urge to shiver. That was not a name she wanted anyone calling her again within this lifetime. Still, she had to nod in response so that Sakuya didn't think she'd been saved by a total stranger.

"Call me Koishi. You okay?"

Sakuya absent-mindedly nodded. Her eyes fell on the briefcase again - still full to the brim with gang money. For a moment Koishi thought she was about to take it out with her, but instead she scribbled a note on it and left it on top. Then she quickly took Koishi by the arm, and started pulling her out of the room.

If it wasn't for the fact they'd already attracted more than enough attention, Koishi would have spoken up about how she was meant to be the one saving Sakuya, not the other way around.

Sango followed on from behind, her face still frozen in a shocked glance. The trio darted out the clinic once again, passing a stunned-looking receptionist on the way out. They caught her muttering something about world domination to her flowers and wisely decided to ignore her entirely.

Even after they'd cleared the clinic they didn't stop running - there could easily have been another goon in the clinic to clean up in case his partner failed. It wasn't until they were well around the corner and certain no-one was following that they stopped to catch their breaths.

"It's funny," Sakuya said to herself, still slightly delirious about what she'd just witnessed. "Every time I run into you, I need to run for my life from someone."

Koishi had to laugh at that. The tension that had built up inside her over that standoff seeped out, and she could breathe again.

Sango, on the other hand, was less than pleased.

"K-Koishi-san, what did you do that for!? You're not supposed to use magic in public! What if they caught you on camera?!"

The dolphin was beside herself with distress. What Koishi had just done violated every rule the White Pearl had. The doctor might have been exposed to magic now, and if anyone caught footage of it there would be uproar. That'd lead to all sorts of risks, because once these exposures started they could spread like wildfire, and half the nation could be aware of magic again within the week. If Nitori heard about this, she'd be giving Koishi hell for sure.

Yet Koishi didn't cower. She didn't even flinch from Sango's rant, looking her straight in the eyes.

"I thought I told you, Sango-san. I'm not letting anyone die on my watch."

Sango started on an answer for a moment, but it died in her throat. In the end, the dolphin conceded the point. Koishi managed to smile again - she knew that Sango would understand her reasoning.

"Well, I'd just like to say that I'm personally in favour of her actions, whether you account for my opinion or not." Sakuya pointed back at the clinic, looking set to explode. "Now, would you care to explain _what you just did to that man?_"

Again with the explanations. Koishi sort of wished they could skip this part, but she had to tell Sakuya everything. Even the parts she had just figured out for herself.

"That wasn't a man," Sango said, putting her temper to one side momentarily. "That creature was with a group we call the Black Claw...and they apparently have ties with your gangster friends."

* * *

><p>"What do you mean, she escaped?"<p>

It took big things to shift the smile from Rinnosuke Morichika's face. Learning that millions of yen had evaded him for the second time was a sufficiently large event for that response.

The woman sitting across from him was not as angry as her compatriot. Her expression was one of simple frustration as she tapped incessantly against the table, not bothering to pay attention to the petty art Morichika had insisted on hanging up. She'd have been able to draw better, with her eyes closed, after a dozen shots and a dose of morphine.

"My apologies. The group who helped her escape last night apparently followed her, and eliminated the guard I sent to apprehend Miss Izayoi."

'Eliminated' wasn't the right word, per se. Her subject had fled the scene and reported to her immediately; Komeiji and her White Pearl cohort had stepped into her plans once again. If they hadn't intervened, she'd have simply had the fishman retrieve the body and return it to her, and she'd be able to extract the Teardrop from Izayoi's lifeless body.

But of course, thanks to a more-than-convenient appearance at last night's casino game, that had all fallen apart.

It was Kawashiro running this operation. She was well aware of it. They'd bumped into each other more than once in the corridors, and she'd seen the resemblance instantly. Kawashiro wouldn't recognise her - she'd had some of this cosmetic surgery humans were so in love with, and taken specific measures to hide her power just like the kappa had.

But she couldn't act now. Not without putting everything thus far in jeopardy. She had to maintain her human contacts, keep an eye on where the Sirens would be emerging, or else she would be handing over the war to Kawashiro for nothing. She'd have her fun eventually - patience was what she needed to show here.

It was also precisely what Rinnosuke was lacking, but the loss of fortunes had a habit of making people impulsive.

"So, what are you doing to make up for this? How do you plan to get me my money back?"

The woman shrugged, nonchalantly. This man was too simple-minded for his position sometimes. It had been easy to win his trust; she had both money to finance operations, and if necessary she had men to carry them out. Or at least, creatures who looked enough like men to fool him.

"I'll pay back your debt personally. Cash, of course, just how you like it. But leave the hunt for Miss Izayoi to me."

The amount lost would be a sizable chunk of her finances, but it was payable. The last thing she needed was to have Morichika turn on her now. At the sound of her offer, the man's expression loosened slightly. This was the first time she'd let him down, and if she was willing to pay for her short comings he was willing to give her a second chance.

"...Alright. If there's anything I can do to help you track that bitch down, let me know."

There. That was just what she'd been looking for him to say. He had a personal grudge against Izayoi now, and they knew where she lived. If she asked he'd probably send dozens of soldiers into the streets to fill her with lead. Too aggressive, in her opinion. Too blatant. She didn't need any of that unnecessary distraction, and in a more practical sense the police would undoubtedly get a solid charge against Morichika if they were too forceful with this.

She would only ask one thing of him, and it would likely make all the difference.

"Tell me, where can I find this Tewi girl of yours?"

* * *

><p>This was always the hard part. Koishi now had to convince Sakuya that she lived in a magical world of talking animals and murderous fishmen. It was only at times like this she appreciated just how ridiculous everything for the last few weeks had been.<p>

Sakuya listened in as she led the pair to the outskirts of town. She jumped between confusion and surprise as the story wore on, and at one point grabbed at Sango's back to feel at this fin of hers. The dolphin squealed so loudly that Koishi couldn't resist giggling to herself about it.

When she'd managed to get everything across - at least, without going into the parts they were supposed to keep secret until Nitori came around - Koishi wrapped up her synopsis. Sakuya didn't respond right off the bat, putting her hand on her chin in a thoughtful gesture.

"Well. I'll be honest with you, and say that if you had told me this story yesterday I'd have dismissed you as a liar. Or a maniac. Perhaps a little of both, actually, because no liar worth their salt would try to sell a tale THAT ridiculous."

There was an almost lecturing tone to Sakuya's voice. She was speaking from her own experience with lying, Koishi assumed.

"That said," Sakuya continued with a sigh, "I've seen your handiwork first hand, and I'm relatively sure it's the only thing that stopped me from getting a bullet between the eyes. I'm tempted to buy into your story...almost."

The last word came out tensely, as Sakuya took a step further away from the pair. She glared back at Koishi, looking thoroughly unimpressed.

"You had one parlour trick in the clinic, and your friend has a 'fin' that may well be plastic. All well and good, but what's to stop me from thinking this is some cunning double-bluff Morichika set up for me? Do you have any other proof?"

Koishi frowned in response to Sakuya's words. At her side, Sango let out a long sigh.

_**Should've figured this one would be a skeptic.**_

The dolphin slumped her shoulders. She'd figured that she would be proof enough for Sakuya, but nothing short of conclusive evidence was going to work here.

Koishi pondered for a moment, lifting her glasses upwards slightly. She'd never had a chance to see Sakuya's magical form before, and maybe it would be enough to give her an idea.

Instantly, the thought struck her, and she grinned a little.

"Hey, Izayoi-san. What colour's your hair?"

Sakuya seemed almost offended by that, her nose scrunching up like Koishi had just insulted her. She responded matter-of-factly, looking more and more convinced that Koishi really was insane.

"What sort of question is that? Blonde, obviously."

Koishi caught sight of Sango's eyes widening at that answer. Of course the idea wouldn't have come to her - she'd never used the glasses, so she had no idea what Sakuya thought she looked like.

"How sure are you about that?"

Sakuya went from confused to cross in the space of about a second. She grabbed at one of the plaids at the side of her face, yanking it forward.

"Alright, you've crossed the line here. Thankful as I am, this has all been too convenient, and your story was hard enough to believe without you spouting nonsense like this. If this shade isn't blonde, I don't know what i-"

For an instant during the last sentence, Koishi saw Sakuya's eyes move from her to the plaid of her own hair she'd held up.

Then Sakuya went silent, and suddenly her attention was transfixed on her own appearance.

"That...that's not blonde. That's...silver."

Sure enough, Sakuya was seeing her hair the way it really was now. All this discussion had opened her mind enough that even if she was still suspicious, some fragments of the other world were seeping through. Fragments such as her own hair colour - what she'd seen as blonde, youkai like Sango had always seen as a flawless silver.

For a few seconds, Sakuya was speechless. She tugged at the hair to check if it was real, and winced accordingly. She undid the ribbon, ensuring it behaved like hair was supposed to. Once again, it complied, in defiance to every logical thought process that Sakuya could produce.

From the amount of time she spent examining it, Koishi was concerned even this wasn't going to be enough to prove the point to Sakuya. She was relieved when Sakuya shrugged her shoulders, speaking with a flustered resignation.

"...Fine. I'm out of explanations. You win." With that, whatever doubt Sakuya had left fell to the wayside. She looked down at Koishi's chest, her neck jerking backwards. "Although...I think that eye thing of yours would have done a much better job at convincing me."

Koishi needed a moment to realise what Sakuya was referring to. So few people around her could see this third eye of hers that sometimes she herself forgot it existed. Only the awkward feeling of rubbing it against her bedcovers at night served as a reminder.

"Well, there's another story behind that one..."

Sakuya shrugged, looking back to the streets. They were on the outskirts of town now, but from the look on Sakuya's face there was still a long way to go.

"We've got time. You may as well get started."

Now she didn't have to worry about Sakuya thinking she was crazy, Koishi told her own story. She kept it short and impersonal, more for her own sake than for Sakuya's. Talking about the past still wasn't something she was comfortable with.

"Oh, on that note...we should probably tell you about your power as well."

Sakuya's face warped. "You're telling me I have one of these powers as well? Here I was thinking all I could do was change my hair colour at will."

Sango laughed at that, perhaps a little too hard. Koishi gave her an awkward glare for it.

_**...What? I thought it was funny.**_

Paying the dolphin no mind, Koishi pressed onwards.

"...Anyway, you've got a thing you do, right? When you're gambling, and you really need a card to come up."

Sakuya was slightly stunned by Koishi's deduction. She jerked her head back, her expression incredulous.

"I thought you said you couldn't read minds. Yes, I do a visualisation of sorts when the tables get tense. Nothing major, just imagining myself placing the card I need on top of the...huh."

By the end of the sentence her words trailed off as she mentally filled in the blanks. She nodded for a moment, actually looking more relieved than surprised.

"So it wasn't just luck after all. Good. I was afraid I'd hit a downturn sooner or later."

Sakuya's eyes lit up, and she once again wore a pensive look. She started muttering to herself, getting more and more interested in her own ideas with every word.

"Interesting. I should definitely be able to find a way to use it for roulette, and that's where the real money will be. Yes, that'll work wonderfully..."

Koishi's eyes widened at that. Sakuya had just barely escaped death after cheating one casino out of a fortune, and now she was looking to do it again? That wasn't bravery, that was just plain madness.

_**Geez...is something wrong in that girl's head?**_

Sango didn't put her thoughts into words, but the message she sent across to Koishi was blunt enough to make a point. An awkward silence rose between the three for a while, though Sakuya seemed too absorbed in her own thoughts to really notice it. Finally, out of sheer need to understand what was happening inside the girl's skull, Koishi blurted out a question she'd wanted to know the answer to for a while.

"Uh...Izayoi-san. Where exactly are you taking us?"

That was enough to distract Sakuya from her plans for the future. She looked backwards again, her words making it sound like what followed was the most obvious thing in the world.

"Home, of course. I have a shift to get to - last night was my day off, so I need to compensate."

Koishi blinked a few times at that, her brain not quite parsing the sentence properly. She saw Sango gripping her temples as a headache caught on.

"...Wait. You work a shift...at home? At night?"

Sakuya nodded, seemingly unaware of how strange she sounded.

"Of course. That's what a maid does, isn't it?"

Koishi needed a moment to recover from the initial shock. She could make out a slight whimpering from Sango - the word 'maid' must have reminded her of her outfit back at the casino. By the time she'd recovered, their destination was coming up fast on the horizon.

"So what, are you a cleaner?" Koishi asked. "Because maid isn't really a word I hear a lot outside of costume cafes. It always gives me this idea of an old Western mansion and the frilly aprons and head dresses."

There was a pause as Koishi and Sango both waited for clarification from Sakuya. Surely she wasn't THAT sort of maid. They existed only in fiction, didn't they? Cleaners, maybe; employees, without a doubt. Maids? Way too far.

Rather than allay their fears, Sakuya shrugged.

"Well, it's all of that. I work for a Western family, and they figured that even in foreign lands they should bring a little slice of home. Is that a problem?"

"N-No, not at all. It's just..."

Sakuya stared at Koishi for a moment, not quite understanding what the issue was. Seeing that Koishi wasn't going to finish that sentence, she turned around and continued leading them on. Sure enough, a large Western-style mansion began to appear in the distance.

_So. The Sirens so far are me, a health-nut brawler, and now the stealthiest maid I've ever seen._

Sango didn't even pass any thoughts across to Koishi in response to that. She just looked across to her and nodded, very slowly.

_...Yukari has a pretty awful sense of humour, if you ask me._

* * *

><p>Tewi couldn't sleep.<p>

Of course she couldn't. How could she be expected to relax after a night like that? Rinnosuke had let her off without any physical punishment, but the words he'd left her were painful enough.

**"There, there, darling. It's okay. Uncle Kourin is here for you."**

She owed him everything she had - this home, her riches, and more or less every moment she'd been outside of the orphanage. When everyone who cared about her was gone, he was there to stand in and act like a father.

But how genuine was it? How much did he actually care for her, and how much was she simply being used? Was she just a tool for him to exploit? A handy accessory, a pretty face?

Tewi lay on her bed, staring emptily at the ceiling. The thought hung in the forefront of her mind for a few minutes, and there was no answer she could decide on that didn't feel slightly wrong to her. One option was honest, but the other wasn't painful for her to consider.

As usual, she chose the latter and decided to rewrite the facts a little in her head. Even if she was just a playtoy, she thought, it wouldn't matter if she told herself that Rinnosuke cared for her. It was one of those big self-help things going around, wasn't it? The world is what you make it, or something like that.

Tewi liked that idea. It was comforting. So what if it wasn't true?

That left her with only one problem. On the bedstand besides her, there was a tiny slip of paper with an address written on it. It was etched in Rinnosuke's memorable handwriting - artistic to the point of barely being legible.

The address was Izayoi's. The woman who'd played her for a fool last night. Rinnosuke hadn't told her anything in particular when he handed her the card - just that it was 'something she might like to know'.

That was obviously a euphemism for 'feel free to get your payback if you feel like it'.

This time, there was no happy choice to distract herself with. Either she had to live with the shame of being beaten, or she had to dirty her hands. She'd never killed anyone before - all she'd done was cheat gamblers out of their money. Murder was...could she even do that? She'd been given a gun some time ago, but it was a rickety model, and she'd never fired it.

On the other hand, she'd already let down Rinnosuke more than enough today. He would want something back from her, even if he hadn't said as much. He hadn't given her a blatant order to track down Izayoi and kill her, but he'd suggested it. From a person in his occupation, the implications were stronger than any outright demand.

If she could, she'd have disregarded the idea. Rinnosuke wouldn't expect something like this from her! He loved her, right? She may as well forget it and wash all her worries away with a big bowl of strawberry ice cream.

The knowledge that she'd probably be beaten senseless if she disappointed him - like the dealer she'd been forced to watch - made denying the issue much harder.

Maybe Tewi would have lay there in bed forever, never making that decision, if there hadn't been an unexpected knock on her apartment door at that precise moment.

"Mmh?"

Suddenly forced to focus, Tewi became aware of just how tired she was. Her body heaved itself upright, stumbling out of the bedroom. She ignored her dressing gown slipping down one shoulder. It was probably a door-to-door salesman running an evening shift, someone she could slam the door on with impunity. She could do with the stress relief after what she'd been through.

Even opening the door was hard for her when she felt this tired, but Tewi struggled against it nonetheless. When at last she won the gargantuan battle against the handle, she found herself being looked down on by a much taller woman, one who she didn't recognise. She dressed well, at least - a tightly-clad black suit, the sort a businesswoman would wear on the verge of making a big sale.

She'd never seen a salesman this well dressed, but that didn't really change the fact she was no-one Tewi wanted to see right now.

"Good evening, Miss Inaba! I'm with-"

"Whatever you're selling, I don't want it."

Tewi made to shut the door, but she wasn't quite quick enough. The woman on the other side jammed her foot in, and pushed her way in with almost impossible force. There was some ridiculous muscle behind that suit, Tewi thought to herself with shock.

"Now, let's not be so quick to judge. I think you'll find we have a mutual friend in Mr. Morichika, correct?"

Tewi let out a loud gulp. She should have figured Rinnosuke would send someone to check on her. Best not to give her any other reasons to get angry, she decided, so she stepped aside to let the woman in. Ignorant of Tewi's rather obvious fears, the visitor offered her a grateful nod as she closed the door behind her.

"Many thanks. Now, I'm to understand you have an issue with a Miss Izayoi, correct? One you'd like resolved permanently, so to speak."

Straight to the point, and all with that pretty smile on her face. It was a little disturbing how these gangster folks could talk so lightly about death. Tewi was a good liar, perhaps, but that was one case where she couldn't quite hide her feelings on the matter. She twiddled her thumbs, stepping backwards as she found herself slowly retracing her steps into the bedroom.

"...I never said I wanted to do that. How would I even pull it off, anyway? I'm a fast-talker, not a gunslinger."

The suited woman followed her, just close enough to feel uncomfortable. Tewi picked up her pace, but her uninvited guest matched her with ease. Before she knew it the pair were in the bedroom again, with Tewi's back to her own bed.

"I expected you to say that. See, that's where I come in. I'm here to give you a little...help in terms of dealing with Miss Izayoi."

Even after Tewi had stopped, the gangster kept approaching. This was far too close now. Tewi fell backwards over her bed, trying to roll over to the other side, but all that did was leave her at a dead end. The woman in the suit walked around, still grinning. That grin was twisted, broken, wrong - Tewi knew from her own experience that was the smile of a woman who couldn't be trusted.

"R-Really, I'll be fine! Maybe. I need to think it over a little-"

The woman grabbed Tewi by the shoulders, leaning down so they were face to face. Their lips were only inches apart now, and the woman whispered just loud enough to terrify her.

"Who said I was giving you a choice?"

Then their lips crossed, and Tewi felt something being forced down her throat. No, not down, up - past her nose, and into her brain, but that couldn't be-

* * *

><p>The suited woman grinned, seeing Tewi go limp in her arms. The coil had been planted, and within a matter of seconds the gambler was conscious again. Only a darker pair of eyes showed that anything was wrong with her.<p>

As if to correct that, a murderous smile ran across her face.

"...If I tell myself I didn't kill her, does it really matter if I did?"

Tewi's guest smirked, handing her a golden key.

"That's the spirit, Miss Inaba."

_So easy to manipulate. Just like the rest of these filthy humans._


	22. Sickness

This was Koishi's first time seeing a Western mansion. It would probably have had more of an effect on her if the lack of light wasn't stopping her from seeing most of it. She could just make out the crimson paint on the walls - the same shade as the bakery, and just as unnerving as it had been back then. A large gate blocked further entry, the only way past a fence that circled the entire building.

A small cubicle stood at the side of the gate, where presumably a guard was supposed to stand watch and ward off potential intruders. 'Presumably' was the word that ran through Koishi's head, because the woman inside the cubicle wasn't doing much in the way of guarding. Snoring, on the other hand, she was doing more than enough of.

Sakuya let off an angry rapping through the glass window of the cubicle, and the guard sat straight with almost impossible haste. Perhaps it was a defense mechanism she'd developed after being caught napping on the job for so long. Either way, as the guard sat upright, Koishi recognised another familiar face - albeit one with a large red mark on her forehead from where she'd pressed against the glass.

"Wha-Hello, Sakuya!" Meiling yelled, words stuttering out of her mouth like a machine gun. "Lovely weather today, isn't it?!" Her eyes darted about in every direction other than towards Sakuya. They quickly found something worthwhile to rest upon, stopping at the pair of newcomers Sakuya had brought with her.

"Wait...Koishi-chan? What's she doing here? Are you two friends now?"

Sakuya frowned. "We're...acquaintances." Her voice was distant and impersonal.

"And you haul acquaintances out in the middle of the night to your place?"

Meiling had woken up quickly, taking the first opening for a quip that Sakuya had given her. The maid rewarded her with a solemn-looking glare.

"Just open the door, China. You have no idea what kind of day I've had."

The door guard's cheer crumpled in seconds. She started fiddling with the control panel in front of her, eventually pulling the gates open with a loud creak.

"Uh, there you go. Have a good shift, I guess?"

Meiling's voice faded with every word until she was barely audible. Sakuya paid her no mind, walking through the now open gateway and making her way towards the mansion. Koishi and Sango fell further behind the maid, both watching her with judging eyes.

"Hmmmm." Sango pursed her lips. "Izayoi-san is...sort of a jerk, isn't she?"

Koishi was very tempted to nod at that. They'd seen her play for dirty money at casinos, argue with every fellow employee she had, and in general they'd seen nothing out of her that was vaguely charitable.

"...Still. Does that sound like the sort of person Yukari would trust with a Teardrop? Someone who'd use the power to break the banks and die wealthy?"

"She's got skill," Sango said with a shrug. "What makes you so sure she's not just a jerk with talent?"

Koishi started on an answer, then stopped. There was a feeling about Sakuya she couldn't quite put into words. The maid seemed...distracted, almost, like she'd never really been paying attention to her surroundings. Something else was taking up her thoughts, but Koishi wasn't sure exactly what. The fragments of the discussion they'd overheard in the bakery leaped into Koishi's mind.

* * *

><p>It took the pair a couple of minutes to cross the pathway to the mansion itself. Sakuya had gone on ahead, but she'd at least been thoughtful enough to leave the door unlocked. Even the handle was foreboding - a beast's face was carved into the metal, and Koishi half expected it to bite her as she gripped it. Was the family who owned this place deliberately trying to scare guests off?<p>

The hallway which Koishi stepped into was in no way more welcoming. From the inside, she saw that curtains had been set up across all the windows, ensuring that light had no chance of making it inside. Only the dim lighting from the chandelier above stopped her from walking into a wall - or more likely, the two statues that had been set out in the hallway. They were men, both of them, relatively old but with fearsome glances that seemed to follow Koishi as she walked around. The light seemed almost deliberately set up to make them look foreboding as a cruel joke on the part of the designers. Koishi needed a deep breath before she could step forward and look more carefully at them, and by then a hand had already grabbed her by the shoulder.

"Uh, Koishi-san..." Sango's upper lip was trembling. "Maybe we should wait for Izayoi-san to come back. Y'know, we might end up going somewhere we aren't meant to and all. Let's just wait outside for now..."

Evidently, Sango was having an even worse time of this than Koishi was.

_C'mon, Sango-san. You can fight for your life against magical abominations, and you're scared of a few pieces of rock?_

The dolphin pouted, puffing her cheeks up as she furrowed her brow.

**_I'm not scared! I'm just...being cautious, that's all._**

The Siren let out a little sigh. Turning around, she took Sango by the hand and gripped it tightly.

"If you get scared, just squeeze it. Okay?"

Sango's face went a little red. The wounds from their earlier accident hadn't quite healed yet. Eventually the dolphin managed a jerked-out nod as she squeezed back. She followed along as Koishi approached the statues, deciphering the English title beneath it.

"Bram...Stoker? Wasn't he a writer or something?"

The name rang a vague bell in Koishi's head, but beyond the books they covered in English she wasn't very familiar with foreign literature. It was somewhere in her brain, but it'd take her a while to fish it out.

The statue of Stoker stood proudly with a book in his hand, running the other through a well trimmed beard. The stonework was well kept - it couldn't have been more than a few years since it was sculpted. The man across from him was from a much darker age of history - dressed nobly for his time, but without the modern sophistication of Stoker. Perhaps most disturbing was the large stake the man was holding besides him - maybe it was a trick of the light, but Koishi could have sworn there were a few droplets of blood at its tip.

"Vlad III, Prince of Wallachia? And I thought Bram was a strange name for a ma-"

"You would do well not to insult those names, _girl_."

Two sensations struck Koishi at once. First, a sudden chill down her spine as a powerful voice rang through the hallway. Second, the feeling of Sango squeezing her hand so hard she was surprised it didn't break.

"P-Phwweeeeeee! Who's there?!"

Sango had already taken refuge behind Koishi, both of them looking straight in the direction the voice had come from. Its owner stood in the stairwell, one hand on the railing as she slowly made her way down the steps. Every footstep echoed, as she deliberately avoided the red carpet in the middle and stepped on solid stone.

As she came into view, Koishi found her initial fears were mostly unfounded. Though she spoke with confidence, the girl who'd spoken up was no threat physically. Her skin was almost pure white, like it had never seen the sun, and her hair was only a fraction darker. Her red eyes were bright and powerful, staring straight into Koishi's without fear, but they seemed out of place in that frail body. Combined with the light pink dress she was wearing, Koishi almost mistook her for a doll at first glance.

"Perhaps you Eastern folks are not educated in our histories. Pitiable, but understandable. Maybe you know him better by another name?"

The booming voice echoed across the room again. She spoke Japanese in the same manner Patchouli did - fluently, but more formal than most conversation would ever need. Koishi had steeled herself against the stranger's charisma, but Sango was still clutching tightly to her hand, ready to bolt out the door at any moment. The girl grinned at her reaction, picking up speed down the stairs.

"His people knew him as Vlad Tepes - Vlad the Impaler. Understandable, given that he saw no better punishment than to run a stake through those who he saw as immoral. Thieves, adulterers, liars, and the sort."

Silence. The girl looked Koishi head on, looking for a hint of recognition. Again, there was nothing - Western history was perhaps an even worse subject for Koishi than Western literature. Professor Kamishirasawa hadn't done anything to help with that, given her insistence on bringing up Japanese folklore every time she found an opening for it.

"...No? Still nothing?"

The girl in pink frowned. For an instant, Koishi saw her proud stature give way, and instead of a confident, charismatic figure she found herself looking at a selfish, frustrated child. The grin was back a moment later, though, and she spoke again as if the lapse had never happened.

"Well, I suppose I shall have to give you all of the answers. You must know of Bram Stoker's most famous book, mustn't you?"

This time, Koishi's eyes did show a flicker of understanding. It was there - the name, she knew it, she just needed time to think-

_!_

Of course. How could she have forgotten? The clues were staring her right in the face. Vlad the Impaler. The stakes. The blood. This girl with ashen skin and brilliant red eyes.

The name fell out of Koishi's mouth. "...Dracula."

That was exactly what the girl had been waiting to hear. She cackled - laughing in a way that seemed to pass through the air into Koishi's skin, leaving the hairs on the back of her neck tingling.

_It can't be...she isn't a...?!_

Sango was still horribly out of the loop, clinging to Koishi's hand for dear life. **_Dracula? What's that? Who's that? What's going on!?_**

The lady of the mansion took the last few steps down the staircase, coming to a stop in front of her two guests. She was clearly enjoying this whole spectacle, an impish smile running across her face.

"I see you've put it all together, child. Allow me to congratulate you for deducing the blatantly obvious."

She pinched the sides of her dress, then performed a flawless curtsy towards Koishi.

"Remilia Scarlet, the noblest vampire of Gensouto. Trust me, the pleasure is all yours."

* * *

><p>Koishi needed a moment to notice the change.<p>

A few seconds ago it had been Sango squeezing her hand in panic and preparing to flee. Koishi had been relatively calm, ready to take on the ill-looking girl.

The instant the word vampire came up, Koishi had come apart. Vampires? She heard the stories about how they took young maidens in at the dead of night and drained them of their blood, leaving them dead or - worse - _un_dead. The girl's charisma had made the story an easy sell, even before Koishi took her knowledge of youkai into account. And what if Sakuya was one of her servants, and they'd been lured here as a trap-

"Oh."

Meanwhile, Sango's fears had vanished entirely, and she simply gave Remilia a blank stare. Koishi jerked her head backwards, her heart still pounding in her chest.

_Sango-san, what are you waiting for!? We need to get out of he-_

**_Vampires don't exist, Koishi-san._**

Awkward silence followed that thought. Koishi felt vaguely as if her heart had been thrown down a flight of stairs.

_...R...Really?_

_**Trust me. I know a hell of a lot about youkai, and vampires are just one of those urban myths you humans like so much.**_

Koishi's emotions moved swiftly from fear straight to humiliation. She chose to refrain from comment as Remilia continued her monologue.

"Ah, so you are brave enough not to flee in my presence. That is impressive! It has been years since someone showed me such courage. Isn't that right, Sakuya?"

Remilia's head turned suddenly to a side corridor, with Koishi and Sango turning to look in the same direction. They'd been watched, at least for a short while, by a young woman in the traditional maid outfit of old. A dark blue dress with a frilled white apron, it held to her figure perfectly. But even in this anachronistic choice of outfit, Sakuya was unmistakable.

"Milady," Sakuya started, with a tone of respect that neither girl had heard from her until now, "may I suggest you return to your room momentarily? I must inform our guests of your...heritage."

Rather than calling out Remilia on her behaviour - or even on the fact that a girl her age shouldn't have been up this late - Sakuya offered her mistress a deep bow alongside her request. Again, Koishi saw the expression on Remilia's face shift for a moment to a childish pout, followed by a sigh.

"Very well, Sakuya. I hope this will not make tonight's meal tardy?"

"You underestimate me, Milady. I could lecture this pair for an hour and still have your dinner ready in advance."

Remilia grinned, likely at the sight of a servant willing to challenge her. She began to make her way up the stairs again, offering a devilish smirk to the guests as a parting gesture.

"If you two are staying tonight, may I suggest a coffin? Somewhat stuffy, perhaps, but you'll never have to worry about morning light."

With that, she made her way up the stairs. The act broken, she dashed upwards in an utterly childish manner, leaping two stairs at a time. Maybe she looked unwell, but Remilia was still physically capable.

For a moment Koishi stood in place, unsure of what to make of her encounter with Remilia Scarlet. A petite cough from Sakuya was her cue to step back into reality.

"Come with me," the maid muttered, turning on her feet and slipping back into the corridor. Koishi followed on afterwards, letting go of Sango's hand entirely. Immediately she were surrounded by doors on all sides, each one identical to the ones surrounding it without so much as a label. In spite of this, Sakuya traversed the twists and turns of the mansion with absolute confidence, and her two 'acquaintances' followed close behind out of fear of getting lost. Again, Koishi noticed that every window was blocked by a curtain - not only that, but they were much thicker curtains than most households ever used.

"I had hoped there would be a chance to explain this all before you met her," Sakuya said, not even bothering to hide her frustration. "Milady is a very...special case."

Sango scrunched up her nose. "Milady? Isn't that one of those words that died out sometime last century?

"It's what she wants to be called," Sakuya replied, without a hint of humour. "And given that she saved my life, forgive me if I feel the need to display respect for her."

Her answer served to shut up Sango entirely, and the dolphin slumped behind Koishi for cover. Koishi felt her hand grow slightly warmer.

"I think I know what Sango-san wanted to say," Koishi said, much more carefully than her companion. "Sakuya-san, you know this household isn't exactly normal. Why is your mistress convinced she's a vampire?"

Sakuya came to an abrupt stop. Koishi almost walked into her back, and Sango almost walked into Koishi's. The maid turned on her heels to face one of the identikit doors, unlocking it with her master key and pulling it open.

"I don't feel I can give you a thorough enough answer. That's why I'm taking you to an expert."

Koishi couldn't see more than a few feet inside, but she made out the first few bookshelves with ease. It was no challenge to conclude that this was a library, and Sakuya was taking them to meet the librarian. Still, Koishi hadn't had an answer to her question.

"An expert on what?" she asked again.

The term that flew out of Sakuya's mouth was long and scientific to the point it made Sango's head spin. Yet it was spoken with such ease, such grace, such simplicity, that it was clearly a term Sakuya knew far too well.

"Have you ever heard of xeroderma pigmentosum?"

* * *

><p>The dim lighting reared its ugly head the moment Sakuya closed the door. Bulbs hung from the ceiling, making a deliberate attempt to give off as little light as possible. Koishi's shoulders grew sore after the third or so collision with a nearby bookshelf. She hadn't been aware that walking forward could actually be this difficult. Sango had taken the smarter option by hanging behind - thus learning from Koishi's mistakes - but that might have just been her trying to stay away from Sakuya rather than a clever move on her part.<p>

The books lined up on these shelves shared a common theme - they were medical tomes, in more languages than Koishi even knew existed. Some were up-to-date, laminated for preservation; others were suffering badly from the wear of time, set to collapse entirely if touched with anything resembling force. The titles that were in Japanese may as well have been in gibberish from all the weighty scientific terms they used. In short, this was not Koishi's type of literature.

The further in they went, the more focused the books became on their topics. One phrase jumped out more often the further in they walked, still in every language Koishi had heard of and several she hadn't. If she hadn't heard Sakuya say it a few minutes earlier, it would've been gibberish to her.

But there it was, coming up over and over again. Xeroderma pigmentosum. She almost considered pulling one of the books off the shelf and giving it a look, but based on the titles they'd be too complicated for her to understand without five years of med school.

The march felt like it had taken an age, but in truth they'd been walking for a few minutes at best. Time seemed to hold no meaning here - there was no sunlight, and what little light there was could only be described as inadequate. Looking backwards, Koishi could see no sign of the entrance either, like she'd stepped into another realm entirely.

Eventually, the trio came across the one object in the room that was not a bookshelf. A small desk was neatly placed between two of these shelves, perhaps the only surface in the library not to be covered by a layer of dust. On the chair behind it, a frail-looking young woman was lying back, letting off a quiet snoring. The light purple nightgown she'd worn made it clear she hadn't fallen asleep by accident. Koishi recognised the woman in a few seconds - Patchouli, the stern-looking clerk from the bakery. Instinctively, she slowed her pace down so that her footsteps didn't wake up the sleeping librarian.

Possessing none of Koishi's subtlety, Sakuya simply started to shake at Patchouli's shoulder.

"Mmm...no, of course it isn't lupus..."

The librarian mumbled to herself for a few seconds. Rather than taking this as a sign to stop, Sakuya began to shake at her even harder. The puffed-up white hat laying on her head eventually slipped off - Koishi wasn't paying too close attention, but from what she could see the girl's eyes leaped open the instant the hat hit the floor.

"Wha...what's-"

Patchouli's eyes darted around the room for a moment. They stopped quickly on Sakuya, and the worried look on her face shifted back to the severe expression Koishi recognised.

"Ah, so you're back after all. From the way you stomped out of the bakery, I hadn't expected you to return without the almighty panacea in your hand."

A vile glare passed from Patchouli to Sakuya, and straight back in equal measure. Just on reflex Koishi stepped backwards, accidentally smacking Sango in the chest with her head. For once Sango had an understanding of subtlety, and managed to muffle her complaint.

"So, what drives you to wake up an unwilling librarian in the middle of the night?" Patchouli asked with a yawn. "From what I recall, the children are your responsibility for the next eight hours."

Sakuya pointed backwards at the pair she'd hauled in. "I figured that you were the only one here qualified to explain the situation with the mistress."

There was no sign of camaraderie between the two. Patchouli seemed all too eager to turn her attention away from Sakuya, beckoning Koishi closer with one hand. Recognition dawned on the librarian as the schoolgirl approached.

"Ah, you're the one I asked to find Izayoi. Well, considering it was her bringing you in rather than vice versa, forgive me if I'm not willing to rummage around for the reward."

Koishi shrugged. Frankly, she couldn't care less about a discount at a bakery right now. There was a story here, and she needed to hear it; for Sakuya's sake, and quite possibly everyone else's as well.

"So why is Patchouli-san the only one who can explain this?" she asked. "She's a librarian, isn't she?"

Patchouli's nose jerked upwards. "A librarian? Please. I think you should be giving me a little more credit." She pulled a pair of reading glasses from the desk, slipping them on casually. The level of professionalism and respect she gave off intensified in an instant, making Koishi forget that the woman was in her nightgown and not a labcoat. Sakuya rolled her eyes with a bored growl.

"You are, after all, speaking to one of the world's most talented geneticists. Specialising in rare genetic disorders and treatment of such, I graduated at the top of my class from the University of Cambridge. Combined with a natural gift for tongues, I gained my degree with the potential to work anywhere in the world if I so pleased-"

The soliloquy was (thankfully?) interrupted. A sudden hacking cough forced its way out of her throat, shaking her entire frame. Koishi could have sworn the woman was made of glass, prepared to fall apart at the slightest touch. After a few seconds of choking, Patchouli at last caught her breath.

"...At least, that is how my life would have gone were my physical health not something of an issue. I was rather quickly prohibited from being anywhere near patients for fear that I would either pass on whatever illness I happened to be carrying, or be killed by the very disease I was attempting to cure."

Koishi caught, for the tiniest moment, a hint of sadness in Patchouli's eyes. She was speaking eagerly of a life she never had the chance to live, and that fact had left its mark on her. The vulnerability was gone in an instant, though, and she was back to the haughty 'librarian' she'd been before.

"Perhaps I would have died penniless were it not for circumstance. A French philanthropist caught my name in an article, and knowing I could not seek employment elsewhere asked for my assistance. He was looking for a personal attendant, one who could aid his wife during her pregnancy. He had no intention of trusting the wellbeing of his children to state doctors - he wanted the best of the best, and thus he called for me. It was a fully-paid position, accommodation and all, so I saw no reason to refuse; even if he had perhaps misunderstood the English article and respected me for a duty that was not my specialty.

I was with them for nine months, and everything went as planned. The two children were delivered safely, to overjoyed parents who gave them all the love they could. As a family celebration, they organised a trip to Japan - to the tiny city of Gensouto, where the fresh air would be much more beneficial to them than the Parisian smog. To that extent, they were right."

Patchouli's face grew grim at that point, her earlier confidence decaying rapidly. Sakuya looked on, glare growing sterner with every word.

"But the children - something was wrong with them. The sun burned them far worse than it should have - half an hour out in the sun could leave them red all over. They gained freckles, far too many. And beyond all that, there were crusty, black blotches running across their skin. Their parents were terrified, looking for someone to tell them what was happening."

The geneticist let out a long, heaving sigh. Koishi saw a little vapor trail slip out of her mouth in the cold air of the room, and imagined a little part of her soul slipping away with that sound.

"I told them their children were likely to be suffering from xeroderma pigmentosum. To protect the twins, the Scarlet family took a home here, and with my help they did everything to keep the children safe. To save them the trouble, I doubled as the daughters' teacher, ensuring they were fluent in Japanese as well as French. But the guilt was hard on the parents - perhaps if they'd never made that journey to Japan, they'd have been able to raise their daughters in their homeland rather than a foreign country neither of them truly knew-"

"Are you done with your tangent?" Sakuya said, arms folded as her fingers began to fidget. "I came to ask about XP, not for your life story."

Patchouli flinched as if she'd been shot. Every other eye in the room fell on Sakuya, Sango staring at her with barely concealed disgust. The atmosphere in the room felt like a weight on Koishi's shoulders.

"...Very well, then." Patchouli recovered her composure. "My apologies for rambling. It's not as if the rest of us have our own troubles to deal with, after all."

Her words were laced with venom, but they bounced harmlessly off of Sakuya. Seeing no response, Patchouli caved in and began her explanation.

"Now. Before I say any more, understand that the sun is a powerful thing. It releases ultraviolet rays that could easily damage the DNA of skin cells, thus causing all sorts of deadly cancers. Thankfully, the human DNA system can typically repair itself from this sort of damage, and for the most part we are safe in the sunlight."

Patchouli's eyes never moved away from Koishi. Her anger disappeared, and her tone was cold and professional as she spoke about her work.

"For sufferers of xeroderma pigmentosum, though, this repair system is not functional. As such, the sun's rays will damage their skin with ease, leaving them prone to all these cancers I spoke of earlier. The easiest course of treatment is preventative, ensuring that the victim never makes contact with sunlight."

The realisation hit Koishi with all the subtlety of a brick.

_The sun hurts them...just like it would hurt a vampire._

The young girl's vampire act in the hallway took on an entire new meaning. It was a coping mechanism, the girl's only way to deal with her disorder, and Koishi had felt the nerve to consider it strange. She murmured an apology under her breath to no-one in particular.

"Then...what's the cure?" Sango asked. "Is there any way to fix it?"

Almost unnoticeably, one side of Patchouli's mouth rose upwards. "No. Genetic disorders come from weaknesses in the sufferer's DNA. It can be worked around, but those girls will never be able to live a normal life."

She turned to Sakuya, the old glare of resentment returning. "No matter what some of us want to believe."

The first crack appeared in Sakuya's armour, her upper lip trembling as she started her retort. "So you'd have me surrender, then?"

"I'd have you come to grips with reality." Patchouli leaned forward over the desk. "I know what you've been up to, Sakuya. The illicit clinic visits. The generous donations. The showering of wealth onto anyone who promises to look into the disorder."

Koishi felt like her voicebox had caved in. Even though she was only a few paces away from the discussion, she felt like she could do nothing but watch. At her side, Sango's eyes burned holes into the back of Sakuya's head.

"I appreciate your concern, but you've achieved nothing in the last few months." Patchouli shook her head, tutting like a disappointed parent. "I've had to explain away your absences to the girls more times than I can count. Sooner or later I'll run out of lies to tell them, and then what?"

"Then you can tell them that I'm trying to help," Sakuya growled. "Unlike a certain someone who thinks it's fine to lock them away in a mansion for the rest of their days."

A fire burst to life in Patchouli's eyes. "Don't even try to give me that. Do you think you're the only one who cares about those girls? Valéry was my friend too, and if there was anything I could do for his daughters don't you think I'd have done it already?"

"Oh, of course," Sakuya said, moving towards the desk with one mighty stomp. "Because a stuck-up rich girl who won't even leave her library for dinner is just who I can count on to help me."

Koishi's heart went the same way her throat had, folding in on itself and paralysing her. The tension in the air had locked her feet into place. There was only one way this argument could end, but both women were giving off a pressure Koishi couldn't hope to match.

"Now, you listen to me, Patchouli," Sakuya muttered, every word bathed in aggression. "What I do with my life is no business of yours, and you can keep your opinions to yourself about it. I've had all of you I can stand, and it's taking every ounce of self control I have to keep myself from coming at you."

In spite of her measly frame, Patchouli didn't budge an inch. "So now you think you can threaten me? That's just what I expected from a child like you."

The word child made Sakuya shiver from head to toe. Patchouli rose to her feet as she rallied onwards.

"Because that's what you are, Sakuya. You act cunning and suave, but in the end you barely know how to fend for yourself. You live in your own fantasy world where there's an answer for anything as long as you throw enough money at it. You've completely ignored the damage you've done to this family."

The last sentence boomed out of her with impossible strength. "And if you've got any sense, you'll pull the wool out from under your eyes and grow the hell up."

Koishi felt it. She almost heard something snap inside of Sakuya then. The maid's hand curled into a ball, all her nervous energy coming together in one place. The hand rose off of the desk in as Sakuya's face morphed into a look of rage.

At the same time, the force holding Koishi in place dispersed. Her body leaped forward on its own, the whole ordeal playing out in slow-motion. She caught Sakuya's hand mid-swing, grabbing at it with both arms. Sakuya twisted her neck backwards, her eyes still glimmering with fury. She made one attempt to bat Koishi away, but the Siren's grip was too strong.

Unfortunately, she still had one hand free. As her left hand curled into a fist as well, Koishi realised she had overextended. This time she couldn't hope to stop the attack. Patchouli's face grew even paler than it was before, and she could do nothing but stare at the fist crashing down towards her.

In a single fluid movement, a fourth figure charged forward from behind Koishi.

"That's enough!" Sango yelled as she grabbed Sakuya's other arm. The maid hissed, but even in her rage she was no match for a youkai's strength. Sango pulled her back from the desk, Sakuya struggling against her with all her might.

The moment passed, and Koishi saw the red mist lift in Sakuya's eyes. Two feelings struck the Siren at once. One was relief that Sakuya had been kept from making a terrible mistake; the other was a gut-wrenching worry that they'd dealt with the symptoms, but not the disease.

_She's in denial,_ Koishi thought. _She's afraid of the truth._

The maid looked down on herself, then towards Patchouli. The librarian was still frozen in place, every muscle tensed as she braced herself for an attack that never came.

"...Ah."

Sakuya deflated physically. The anger holding her rigid dissipated, and her shoulders slumped as low as her joints would let them. Her expression couldn't be described as apologetic - that was far too generous a term. Better would be 'conflicted', or at best 'regretful'. Sango's grip remained as tight as ever as she held the maid in place.

After what felt like an eternity, the maid managed a whisper. "Patchouli, I'm sorry. I didn't mean to-"

"I know what you meant." Patchouli had lost all semblance of emotion, as if the shock had turned her into a clean slate. She sat back down at her desk, returning to the book in front of her. "Now get out of my library before you do something you'll regret later."

Sakuya complied, hanging her head in shame. Her motions were as well-rehearsed as ever, but the guilt was scrawled across her face. Koishi and Sango hung behind, neither finding the courage to say a word.

But the look of disgust from Sango said more than enough.


End file.
